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DRAFT TACS

TACS:Time and AttendanceCollection System

Supervisor Training

Facilitator’s Guide

Course 31267-01February 23, 2001

Finance

Payroll

DRAFT TACS

Use of Training Materials

These course materials are intended for training purposes only. They have been prepared in conformancewith existing USPS policies and standards and do not represent the establishment of new regulations or

policies.

Copyright 2001 by FinanceUnited States Postal Service, Washington DC 20260-5240

All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission, in writing,

from Finance.

Certain parts of this publication may contain copyrighted materials from other sources the reproduction ofwhich for this specific training use has been interpreted not to exceed the fair use clause of the copyright

regulation (Ref. 371.5 ASM).

DRAFT TACS TRAINING

Facilitator’s Guidei

CONTENTS

TACS TRAINING GUIDELINES 3

MODULE ONE -- INTRODUCTION 15

MODULE TWO - LOGGING IN AND NAVIGATING IN THE

TACS APPLICATION 27

MODULE THREE – THE CLOCK RING EDITOR 39

MODULE FOUR -- USING TACS TO MONITOR EMPLOYEE

PERFORMANCE 78

MODULE FIVE -- TACS AND THE ELECTRONIC BADGE

READER 96

APPENDICES 130

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Facilitator’s Guide2

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TACS TRAINING GUIDELINES

Time and Attendance Collection System (TACS) training isintended to facilitate the use of TACS once it has been deployed.TACS training consists of 4 classes, each class delivered in acomputer lab and addressed to a particular group of users.

Web technology provides an opportunity for supervisors to moreeasily monitor their employees work hour and leave usage and tomake necessary changes quickly. TACS Supervisor Training,course number 31267-01, is intended for supervisors and otherpersonnel who will need access to the Clock Ring Editor. Inaddition to showing particular reports that will provide them withnear real-time data that will facilitate supervision, TACSSupervisor Training provides supervisors with practice in using theClock Ring Editor module, and in using the Electronic BadgeReader (EBR). It will also provide supervisors with informationabout TACS and changes to the EBR software that they will needto share with their employees. A training database is utilized sothat TACS exercises can be performed without recourse to thelocal TACS production database.

Reports Training, course number 31267-02, is intended for userswho need to use only TACS reporting features. It introduces the

timekeeping system, explains how to log-on and navigate in theweb environment, and walks through some of the varied reportsavailable from TACS. Users who will only print and read reports,and who will not need write access to TACS, will need onlyReports Training. Reports Training should be delivered soonafter conversion to TACS using the local TACS productiondatabase for examples rather than a training database.

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TACS Time and Attendance Clerk Training, course number31267-03, is intended for craft timekeeping employees. The

Supervisor Training class, 31267-01, is a prerequisite for

this class. These users will have update access to other TACS

modules in addition to the Clock Ring Editor, including EmployeeMaintenance and Badge Maintenance, so that they can continueto support performance cluster timekeeping activities.

District Coordinator training, intended for district TACSCoordinators, encompasses the previous 3 classes plus someadditional time to learn all of the TACS modules, including how toset up user accounts, how to control access, etc. During the 3 1/2day class, course number 31267-04, which is delivered byHeadquarters trainers approximately 14 weeks before the districtcuts over to TACS, Coordinators will also receive poller overviewtraining, training on the Cut Over Checklist and ImplementationGuide, and troubleshooting training.

Pre-TACS Training

Since the TACS application is accessed from a personalcomputer using Internet Explorer, it is very important that traineeshave a fundamental understanding of how to navigate the intranetprior to TACS training. Many postal employees are computerliterate, and already possess this fundamental understanding.Nevertheless, it is recommended that prospective TACS users,especially in districts that are still supported by PSDS, be offeredan opportunity, based on self-assessment, to attend overviewtraining in Windows ‘95 and in Internet Explorer prior toattendance in TACS training. This training should be arrangedand paid for locally.

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In addition to basic computer skills training, Course 21564-00,“Time is Money: Time and Attendance for Supervisors,” should bedelivered to supervisors prior to TACS training. This 4-hour classdelineates supervisory responsibility for employee time andattendance and effectively provides a context for the supervisors’assumption of TACS duties.

Post-TACS Training

After the local TACS production database becomes available,and after the initial TACS training has been delivered to all TACSusers, there will be a need for additional training. Some TACSusers will need to receive additional training and coaching beforethey become proficient. Many, if not all, of the supervisors willneed training in time and attendance rules and regulations so thatthe information entered into the TACS database is correct andreliable. Newly promoted individuals and detailed employees willneed to be trained both in TACS and Time and Attendanceregulations.

Working with the local PEDC, the TACS Coordinator must ensurethat training facilities remain available, perhaps scaled-down insize, to accomplish post-TACS implementation training.Fundamentals of Time and Attendance, currently underdevelopment and not yet assigned a course number, will be used

to record post-implementation TACS-related training, both in timeand attendance regulations and policies as well as in the TACSapplication.

As in pre-TACS training, this training is arranged and paid forlocally. The time allocations in this post-TACS program will varyfrom site to site, according to local user needs.

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TACS Trainers

TACS training, with the exceptions of District Coordinator andmaintenance training, is delivered by local trainers. These trainersshould be recruited primarily from the two large pools of users—Customer Service (CS) and Processing & Distribution (P&D)Supervisors. Trainers should be selected using the followingcriteria:• Instructional skills (as demonstrated by FIW certification)• Computer proficiency (NO computer-phobic instructors)• Knowledge of Time and Attendance policies & regulations

It is desirable to select trainers from different tours and/or facilities,so that they can be an on-site resource for supervisors after theconversion to TACS. CS and P&D classes should be offered

independently.

All TACS training is to be delivered by two instructors: onedelivers the information while the other circulates around the roomassisting users. Timekeeping expertise is helpful in all of thetraining, but it is critical in the TACS Time and Attendance Clerktraining. If PSDS Technicians are willing and have a positiveattitude, they may serve as a second instructor in any of the TACStraining classes. Other employees who are strong on instructionalskills and computer proficiency (i.e., PEDC personnel, otherFinance personnel) may also instruct, but they must be partneredwith instructors strong on Time and Attendance. All local trainers(at least the ones who will be instructing and leading discussions)must be certified in the two-day Facilitative Instructor Workshop(FIW) course.

The local instructors are trained by Area-designated mastertrainers in a 4- to 5-day train-the-trainer class (course number

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31267-99), usually delivered 4 weeks prior to conversion. Then thelocal users are trained by these local instructors. An Area mastertrainer will return or stay to observe the first two classes of usertraining to ensure that the local trainers are comfortable with thematerials and are instructing effectively.

The first four days of the Train-the-Trainer focuses on TACSSupervisory Training. One pair of local instructors will bedesignated as the Reports Training Instructors. These individualswill teach back the Reports Training while the rest of theparticipants teach back the Supervisor Training on days 3 and 4 ofthe Train-the-Trainer.

Another pair of instructors, very knowledgeable of T&A rules, needto be designated as the TACS T&A Clerk Training instructors. OnFriday of the TTT week, they will work with the Area MasterTrainers so they can deliver this 4-hour program.

After the TACS cut over, the trainers will be an important resourcefor the TACS users. They should be used as localcoaches/ambassadors, making sure that slower learners receivethe assistance they need.

Training hours and travel expenses incurred in delivering andattending any of the TACS training (course 31267) may becharged to Headquarters finance number 66-0650, DA 19-0, LDC88 or 89. However, expenses incurred in providing overviewtraining in Windows ’95 and Internet Explorer, indelivering Time is Money training, in delivering TACS Follow-OnTraining, and in certifying instructors may not be charged to thatfinance number.

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Training Time Allotments

Training time in ETC sites will be shorter than in PSDS sites.The following matrix may be used to estimate training times.

ETC PSDS

Reports Training 2.5 hours 3.5 hours

Supervisory Training 7 hours 8 hours

TACS T&A Clerk Training 2 hours 4 hours

District Coordinator Training 28 hours 28 hours

Course Synopses

Supervisory Training equips supervisors to use TACS todischarge their timekeeping responsibilities. The sequence oflearning is based on how supervisors should use TACS on a dailybasis. The supervisor’s day normally will start with his generatingthe Clock Ring Error Report, and then fixing the errors. Afterfamiliarizing participants with logging in and navigating in theTACS application, the Clock Ring Editor is introduced.Supervisors are led through exercises which demonstrate how toadd clock rings, change clock rings, add higher level, authorizeovertime, and add annual leave and sick leave. Participants arethen introduced to the three reports they will run on a daily basis:the Clock Ring Error Report, the Hours Inquiry Report, and theUnauthorized Overtime Report. After completing additionalexercises designed to increase their skill in using the Clock RingEditor and the three reports, participants are shown some of theother reports and modules in TACS that they will find useful. Theyare finally shown how to enter data into TACS using an ElectronicBadge Reader, and are provided with information to share withtheir employees regarding changes to the EBR.

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Reports Training begins with a brief overview of TACS and whythe Postal Service is implementing it. Then, as it is explained tothem, participants will log on and navigate around the trainingdatabase, accessing Help and other key TACS screens. Differentreport parameters by which information can be sorted areidentified, and a few reports are examined in some detail. TheHours Inquiry Report, the Employee Listing Report, and the StationSummary and LDC/Operation Summary Reports are accessedand discussed. The fact that this training uses the localproduction database will make the reports much more meaningfulfor participants.

The TACS Time and Attendance Clerk training is delivered totimekeeping employees the week of conversion to TACS. Theywill be shown how to perform their timekeeping duties usingTACS. They will have access to employee master files, badgemaintenance, and to PP/WK Hold. They will also be shownreports that are particularly useful in discharging their duties. Afterthey are trained, they will be equipped to assist the TACSCoordinator in making sure the employee files are accurate andcomplete and that the local TACS production database is ready.

Workshop Materials

All training materials are to be downloaded from the TACS Webpage, and duplicated locally. They are accessed by clicking onthe “Coordinator” button and then on the “Downloads” link. Thesematerials must be saved to a local computer in order to print them:they cannot be printed from the web page. Duplication costs mayalso be charged to finance number 66-0650.

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Course Number 31267-01• TACS Supervisory Training Facilitator’s Guide• TACS Supervisory Training Participant’s Workbook• TACS Report Packet• F-401 – Supervisor’s Guide to Time and Attendance--

(Pocket-sized versions should be ordered from theMaterial Distribution Centers)

• Training Power Point File –(Used in Introduction, ifdesired))

• Generic Clock Ring Error Reports to be used inexercises

Course Number 31267-02• TACS Reports Training Participant’s Workbook• TACS Report Packet• Training Power Point File –(Used in Introduction, if

desired)

Course Number 31267-03• TACS Time and Attendance Clerk Training

Participant’s Workbook• F-401 – Supervisor’s Guide to Time and Attendance--

(Pocket-sized versions should be ordered from theMaterial Distribution Centers)

Facilities and Equipment Needs

• Training should be delivered in a computer lab environment,with 16 terminals--15 for participants, 1 for the instructor.

• Minimum computer requirements are pentium 166 with at least64 mgs of RAM.

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• Each terminal must have LAN access, access to InternetExplorer, and have Oracle Jinitiator 1.17.18 loaded on it.

• Each trainee should use his/her own terminal. Avoid doublingup.

• Electronic badge reader with TACS software loaded. (ETCsoftware may be used, if necessary.)

• Sample type 1 (permanent regular), type 2 (permanentauthorizer), and type 9 (vehicle) badges

• At least one rip chart• 1 computer screen projector• Local network printer

Recommendations for Trainers

Class size is limited to 15 trainees, and two facilitators shouldshare the instruction. One of the facilitators will be the mainpresenter who will deliver information and instructions, leaddiscussions, and pace the training ensuring that all of the modulesare covered. The other facilitator will circulate among traineesproviding technical assistance and coaching slower learners. Thesecond facilitator should also identify trainees who already havegood computer skills so that they can be a resource to slowerlearners in the classroom.

On Day One, the facilitators need to arrive at least 45 minutesbefore class begins to ensure computers are working and canlaunch TACS, and to set up the computer projector.

Throughout this Guide, page references to the Participant’s

Workbook are included, i.e., (PW,3). Notes addressed to the

facilitator are italicized and do not appear in the Participant’s

Workbook. Notes in bold print are important and should be

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read aloud to participants and emphasized. Instructors should

avoid reading from the Facilitator’s Guide, but should make surethe information is delivered, preferably in the instructor’s ownwords.

Training Database Support

The TACS training database differs from the TACS productiondatabases in a couple of significant ways. All of the employeeclock rings were programmed into the training database, whereas,in the production databases, they come from EBRs. As aconsequence, some reports are not available in the trainingdatabase. Reports about badge usage, for example, cannot beproduced from the training database.

The training database is frozen on pay period 5, FY 2000, withboth weeks of the pay period open. The training database is setup to refresh every Sunday: all of the clock rings entered during theweek disappear, and the database returns to its originalpreprogrammed state. For this reason, training cannot be

scheduled for Sundays. Thus pay locations and the employees

assigned to them are available for use once each week. Becausethe weeks don’t progress as in a production database, archivereports and reports, like the FLASH Reference Report, whichdepend upon a closed week, are not available in the trainingdatabase.

The training database is used primarily to support SupervisorTraining. The local trainers will use Customer Service paylocations (finance number 47-4632, pay locations 001-016) totrain supervisors from stations and branches, and Processing andDistribution pay locations (finance number 47-4634, pay locations

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101-116) to train plant supervisors. Each class uses a differentpay location.

Each of the 16 pay locations in 47-4632 (Customer Service) has15 regular carriers (13-4), 5 PTF carriers (43-4), and 5 clerks (11-0). Each of the 16 pay locations in 47-4634 (Processing &Distribution) has 15 regular clerks (11-0), 5 PTF clerks (43-4), and5 mail handlers (12-0). When the class is performing the clockring editor exercises in module 3, each participant is assignedone of the 15 regular employees to work on, and is given ageneric clock ring error report to use.

After correcting their employee’s built-in errors for week 1, theclass is divided into 5 groups. Each group is then assigned onePTF and one clerk (47-4632) or mail handler (47-4634), and isgiven generic clock ring error reports for these employees so thatthey can correct, as a group, built-in errors for week 1, and runappropriate reports.

The instructor should use, for demonstration purposes, anemployee with the same errors as those employees assigned tothe class. If there are fewer than 15 participants in the class, theinstructor may use one of the regular employees in the class paylocation. If there are 15 students in the class, the instructor shoulduse a regular employee from pay location 980 in either financenumbers. If there are not enough demonstration employees

in pay locations 980 and the classes are full, don’t save

rings and you will be able to re-use the demonstration

employee for classes later in the same week. The

demonstration employees, like all the other employees, revert totheir original errors every Sunday when the database is restored.

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The Area TACS Coordinator, or a designee, is responsible formanaging the use of the training databases within the Area. EachArea is assigned 2 databases to support training within that Area.It is very important that all users of the training database log

in correctly to their assigned databases: logging in

incorrectly will adversely affect database users in other

Areas.

An alpha add-on to the TACS database login ID will bring users tothe copy of the database reserved for them. There are 40 loginIDs for each copy of the database. The IDs will be TACS001a,TACS002a, TACS003a, and so on through TACS040a. The nextcopy of the database will use login IDs TACS001b through TACS040b. There will be no IDs using the alpha “s” designation (i.e.,TACS001s). The database name will always be TACSTRN6 orTACSTRN8. The password is TRAIN.

AREA DATABASE INSTANCEAllegheny A,BCap Metro C,DGreat Lakes E,FMid-Atlantic G,HMidwest I,JNortheast K,LNY Metro M,NPacific O,PSoutheast Q,RSouthwest T,UWestern V,W

Headquarters will keep three databases (copies X, Y, and Z) tosupplement the Area databases, when they convert large sites.

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MODULE ONE -- INTRODUCTION

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.

Have rip chart near door of classroom with “Welcome to TACS

Training,” neatly written on it along with instructors’ names.

ü Welcome students

ü Facilitator Introduces Self

ü Ask participants to briefly introduce themselves.

Do a quick needs assessment by asking participants to

complete page 5 in their Participant Workbook to identify

position, years in position, whether they have a personal

computer (pc) at home, and how they use the internet. Pay

attention to the computer experience of participants as this will

help identify individuals who may be able to help others and

others who may need help themselves.

Option: Pairing participants and having them introduce one

another helps break the ice.

PARTICIPANT INTRODUCTIONS (PW,5)

PositionYears in positionYears of serviceDo you use a computer, either at work or at home?How?

After introductions have taken place, the instructor gives an

overview of TACS.

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ABOUT TACS (PW,6)

The USPS Payroll System, supported and processed at theMinneapolis Information Systems and Accounting Service Center,currently has five applications that collect time and attendanceinformation for payroll purposes. These applications are:

City T&A Processing System CTAPS Time Cards - Mainframe Based

PC City T&A Processing System PCCTAPS Time Cards - PC Based

Rural T&A Processing System RTAPS Time Cards - Mainframe Based

Electronic Time Clock System ETC Automated - PC or LAN Based

Postal Source Data System PSDS Automated Mainframe Based

The Time & Attendance Collection System combines thefunctionality of the ETC, CTAPS, PC-CTAPS & PSDS systemsinto one standard and automated time & attendance system for allPostal Service offices. The hardware and software of TACS arehighly reliable and similar in configuration in all sites so centralizedsupport units can maintain the application. In a later phase ofTACS, rural timekeeping will also be performed in the TACSapplication.

TACS is a web-based system: it provides access to an Oracle

database through the USPS intra-net. By converting TACS from

a client-server environment to web-based, the Postal Service is

using “cutting edge” technology. The only sacrifice in converting

to the web is the loss of some processing speed exhibited by

programs, like ETC, which exist in a client-server environment.

However, as web technology continues to improve, TACS

processing speed will improve as well.

As in all timekeeping systems, payroll data is considered sensitiveand must be secured from unauthorized access. TACS does

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not change timekeeping policies and procedures: it rather

provides a more efficient, less expensive vehicle for the executionof those policies and procedures.

After giving a brief overview of TACS, ask “Why Move to TACS?”

After soliciting participant ideas, ask students to turn to their

workbook for a description of the functionality and benefits of

TACS.

FUNCTIONALITY & BENEFITS OF TACS: (PW,7)

1. System of national scope.- Improved functionality over current systems.- ETC will not support the 20 largest postal sites.- Capable of standardizing data collection and Time &

Attendance across the country. TACS will support every officein the Postal Service replacing all timekeeping systems.

2. Improved Security- Larger number of data access authorization levels: 110 in

TACS, 49 in ETC, none in PSDS. - Badge control built in to identify employees having multiple

EBR badges.- Instant deactivation of lost or terminated badges.- Authorizations for future actions (e.g., higher level, scheduled

leave) up to three weeks in advance.

3. Access to information.- Data can be input and retrieved from any Postal computer

workstation, anywhere, that has access to the postal intra-net.- Two open weeks on-line in the Clock Ring Editor between

Thursdays and Mondays.

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- Four weeks of information on-line, available for reports.- When transferring hours to different finance numbers, all

(37,000) finance numbers are available on-line.

4. Automated Close out.- TACS automatically closes out the payroll week.- In ETC, a timekeeper must manually close out the week every

Saturday morning.

5. Reporting.- 54 On-Demand Reports vs. 42 for ETC.- Near real time reporting. PSDS reports may take hours to print

due to the nature of a mainframe application.- Employee Leave balances current to the pay period.- Salaries and benefits by Pay Location and Employee Type.

ETC can only support Employee Type.

6. Minimize paperwork- City Time Card Entry built into TACS application.- Ability to place employees’ time on hold through Monday. This

will reduce payroll adjustments. (ETC does a final upload onSaturdays).

7. Can provide real-time data to other National Applications- Activity-Based Costing requires information at the two-digit

local unit code level. No other system can provide theinformation.

- Commitment Management (CM-IOM) listed TACS as critical toa successful implementation of the CM application, sincePSDS cannot support CM-IOM data requirements.

8. Improved Lower Network

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- Data Collector can support multiple data collectionrequirements.

- Smaller network with increased functionality.- Better control and maintenance of the poller.- Reduced complexity; MFDC has 500 modules, TACS data

collector has 50.- Reduced number of phone lines at the District Offices because

there is no need for downloads and uploads every week.

9. Current T&A Platforms are out-dated- PSDS hardware is obsolete, needs to be replaced, and has a

high cost of maintenance.- Increasing difficulty to support DOS-based applications

(ETC) within the current Postal infrastructure.- Maintaining 1 system instead of 3 will save about 3 million

dollars every year.

10. Payroll adjustments cost the postal service about 70 milliondollars per year. TACS reduces the number of documenthandlings.

BUSINESS FUNCTION (PW,9)

The TACS system provides supervisors and managers with actualwork hour data used in monitoring their labor hours and dollars atthe local level. The system will transmit summarized data of theactual payroll hours to the Payroll System at the Minneapolis ISC.The primary business function of this system is to collect andcalculate time and attendance information needed by the PayrollSystem so city employees are paid accurately and timely.

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SYSTEM USE (PW,10)

The TACS system is used by postal installations to collect cityemployee time and attendance information. There are many usersof the Time & Attendance Collection System because of thecorporate value of its data. The information collected andprocessed is beneficial for the postmasters of the smallest officesall the way to the national reports reviewed by the PostmasterGeneral.

Many information systems now interface with ETC and PSDS.TACS will continue to provide information to these systems. It willallow read only access to its employee work hour information forsystems like Plant Information Management System (PIMS),Delivery Services Information System (DSIS), ManagementOperating Data System (PC-MODS), Performance ClusterFLASH, Leave Analysis Tracking (LATS) and Automated VehicleUtilization System (AVUS).

The most common users at the local level will be managers,support personnel, supervisors and timekeepers. Managers andsupport personnel will use the system to monitor aspects ofoperational performance, i.e., for reviewing facility, pay location,finance number, or LDC work hour, leave and overtime usage.Supervisors will use TACS to enter and monitor unit employeeovertime, leave, and higher level assignments. The timekeeperswill use the system to help maintain employee data, and willensure that all performance cluster employees are paid correctly.

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SAMPLE REPORTS (PW,11)

The report packet contains samples of most of the 54 reportscurrently available in TACS. In TACS reports, you will find useful,near real-time information about your operations, presented in avariety of pre-set formats, that you will be able to generate foryourself at your personal computer.

Direct participants to the report packet so they can more easily

see them, and show trainees the following two reports. Do not go

into great detail. Showing these reports now is intended to let

them see what’s in it for them, to whet their appetites.

One such report is the Employee All Report.

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In the Employee All Report, Processed Rings are good rings andUn-Processed Rings are rings that are in error. One fatal error willprevent rings from processing for the entire day. This reportprovides great detail about each ring. The header informationincludes leave balances, current to the previous pay period. Thessn column provides a trail of who added or deleted rings.

Another useful report is the Overtime Alert Report, which is similarto the Scheduled Assistance Report from PSDS. This reportshows the overtime worked by each employee in the pay locationby day, with an individual total for the week on the right.

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By the conclusion of today’s training, you will know how togenerate these reports for yourselves.

TACS ASSISTANCE (PW,13)

You may run into occasional difficulty when using TACS, as youwould with any new piece of computer hardware or newapplication. Your first recourse, if you are unable to resolve aproblem on your own using the Participant’s Workbook, the TACSUser’s Guide, or on-screen help, is to contact your TACS ControlSite. If the Control Site is closed, contact maintenance to see ifthe Electronic Technician responsible for TACS can assist.

Should you experience a problem with an employee’s rings, or ifyou notice an anomaly in TACS, write down the social securitynumber of the individual in whose record it occurred as well as theweek and T&A day in which the problem/anomaly appears.Specific information is needed if the problem is to be researched.

If local personnel (TACS Control site, TACS Coordinator,Maintenance, LAN team) are unable to resolve the problem, a callshould be placed to the Customer Support Branch in Eagan (1-800-USPS HELP). The operator who takes your call will ask aseries of questions to identify the problem, and, if unable toresolve the problem alone, will open up a remedy ticket and directthe problem to the appropriate personnel. Make sure you informthe TACS Coordinator of any remedy tickets you open.

There are standard maintenance windows for TACS during whichthe application may be unavailable.ü Every Wednesday, 0100-0500 CST (database backup)

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ü Every 2nd and 4th Sunday of each AP, 0400-1100 CST (UnixMaintenance)

If additional or optional maintenance is scheduled, users will benotified in advance whenever possible, in “TACS Updates” foundon the TACS home page.

COURSE OBJECTIVES (PW,14)

Upon completion of this training, you will be able to:

ü log-in and -out of the TACS application,ü navigate in the application,ü use the clock ring editor to add, change, delete, and duplicate

clock rings to ensure your employees work hours are correct;ü use the clock ring error report to identify fatal and warning

messages, and then eliminate fatal error messages in theclock ring editor;

ü use the hours inquiry report to identify instances of guaranteetime and guarantee overtime, and the unauthorized overtimereport to ensure overtime is authorized;

ü use reports to monitor employee clock rings to ensureemployee adherence to postal standards; and to monitor unitproductivity to ensure achievement of postal service targetsand goals;

ü use the EBR to input leave, authorize overtime, input higherlevel information and add or delete clock rings;

ü explain, to employees who use badges, the changes to theEBR, including the different tone and different button names.

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MODULE TWO - LOGGING IN AND

NAVIGATING IN THE TACS

APPLICATION

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SECURITY (PW,17)

Because TACS data is considered sensitive, every effort must bemade to safeguard TACS access and information. When youprint reports, make sure they are kept secure: do not leave them at

the printer for any length of time, and we recommend that youshred them, if at all possible, when discarded. It is mandatory thatall users log out of the TACS application if not using TACS forawhile, or if called away from the desk. As much as feasible,avoid printing hard copy reports

If you run a report and wish to refer to it on screen, you can toggleback and forth between the TACS application and the AcrobatReader report by using <Alt><Tab>. Hold down the <Alt> key anduse the <Tab> key to move from icon to icon.

The instructor should demonstrate how to use <Alt><Tab>.

Have participants do what the instructor does throughout this

next section.

FINDING TACS IN INTERNET EXPLORER (PW,17)

From the desktop, single left click on “Start” at the lower left-handquarter of your screen. Then move up to “Office” and, when themenu appears, slide to the right to “web browsers.” Click onInternet Explorer, the postal web browser of choice.

From the postal intra-net blue page, add the word “tacs” to theUniform Resource Locator (URL) address (http://blue/tacs). While

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it is tempting to identify the TACS home page as a “favorite,” wedo not recommend it. In order to get the latest TACS updates inas timely a manner as possible, you should always start from the“Start” box.

Let’s take a few minutes to look at the TACS web page.

Open each of the links, and briefly explain each one.

• “TACS Main” is the TACS home page, pictured above.• “Overview” provides a description of TACS, much like what’s

in pages 8-10 of your Participant’s Workbook.• “Coordinator” contains downloadable files of interest to the

TACS Coordinator and other users. All training materials

are found here in the “Downloads” link.

• “FAQ” contains answers to some frequently asked questions.• “Payroll Homepage,” currently under construction, will provide a

link to the Headquarters Payroll web site.• “TACS Updates” will provide information about changes to the

TACS application.

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• “TACS Forum” will provide a vehicle for you to communicate(ask questions, make suggestions, etc.) with Headquartersabout TACS.

There is also a TACS cc:mail address. If you wish to send cc:mailabout TACS, and have it answered by Headquarters, the addressis TACS, Headquarters.

For training, we will be logging into the TACS training database.

In the training database, we can experiment and practice without

affecting the pay of district employees. In contrast, when you

access TACS from your workstation once the local TACS

instance is activated, your keystrokes, when they are saved, will

have consequences for employees’ pay.

LOGGING INTO THE TACS APPLICATION (PW,19)

Since the TACS application is accessed through the local LAN, allusers need a LAN account, obtained by submitting PS Form1357.1. From the TACS Web page, click on the box “Start TACS

Application” and the Logon screen will be displayed.2. The user's ID will have to be entered into the first field on the

screen. (All users must submit a 1357 to receive an ID.)

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3. Enter the required TACS Logon password (Train). When youget your user ID from the TACS Coordinator, you will alsoreceive a generic password. You will need to change thatgeneric password (see step 5).

4. Enter the database name. For training, we will use databaseTACSTRN8. When the entries have been verified, the TACSHome Menu will be displayed.

5. To change the password, type the new password in the“Change Password” box, press <Enter>, and then confirm it bytyping the new password again. (Do not change the

password in the training class!)

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LOGGING OUT OF THE TACS APPLICATION(PW,20)

The proper way of exiting TACS is by pulling down the menu under“System, and left clicking on “Exit.” This will return you to theTACS Home page. Once at the TACS home page, you may pulldown the menu under “File” in the upper left-hand corner of yourscreen and left clicking on “Close.” Or, you may simply left click onbox with “x” in it on the upper right corner of your screen. Improperexiting from the TACS application results in your connection notending. Inactive connections affect the speed and functionality ofthe application.

Of course, if your PC locks up or if the application freezes, you willhave to use <Control><Alt><delete>.

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NAVIGATING IN TACS (PW,21)

The District TACS Coordinator will designate levels of access to

TACS. Some district employees will have read-only access

(also known as query or browsing) to specific reports.

Supervisors, in addition to read access to reports, will have write

(also known as update) privileges to the Clock Ring Editor.

Timekeepers will have write privileges to other TACS modules,

like Employee Maintenance, so that they can continue to

properly support the performance cluster.

The screen below is a sample of how your TACS home modulecan look. The District Coordinator is able to customize as manyas twelve buttons on this screen to make short cuts to the mostfrequently used areas within the TACS application. This isaccomplished in the User Maintenance Module in the IconSequence Tab.

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Your local TACS Coordinator will assign levels of access to TACSusers. If you do not have access to a module, the module will be“grayed out” when you pull down the menu.

If you were able to pull down all of the menus at the same time, you

would see this. (PW,22)

You will note that there are multiple ways of getting to some of themodules. The menus are logically laid out. You will spend yourtime in columns 2 (Employee), 4 (Time) & 6 (Reports).

The very first item in the Reports column is “Report Queue.” Allreports are viewed from this queue. We will see how it workswhen we generate our first report.

At the bottom of the “Reports” menu, you will see two options.“Generate PDF (Portable Document Format) Output” produces asnapshot which is more pleasing to the eye, but not a text filewhich can be manipulated. We suggest you use PDF formatwhen running reports.

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“Generate HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) Output” willproduce the report as a text file. When saved as text, the datacan be exported into other applications, like Excel or Word.

You may keep several TACS modules open at the same time (asmany as 6) and toggle back and forth between the open screens.You do this by using the “Window” pull-down menu.

The instructor should demonstrate by clicking on the “Window”menu.

TACS HELP (PW, 23)

We encourage you to use TACS Help as your first recourse whenyou run into a snag. Unfortunately, some of the TACS Helpscreens are still under construction and revision, so it is not alwaysvery helpful.

Click on Help.

Two lists of keyboard shortcuts are contained within TACS Help,and are called “Show Keys,” and “Button Short Cuts.” These

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provide a list of keystrokes for those who find switching between

mouse and keyboard slow or cumbersome. Have participants

click on each one. Then have them turn to Appendix 1.

Appendix 1 has a list of keyboard shortcuts in Windows.

“About TACS” simply displays the current user and version ofTACS. “Display Error” contains nothing when accessed from themain TACS page, but will assist in diagnosing problems andtroubleshooting if you experience an error while working in amodule.

When you double-click on the first item in help, Contents, you getthe following pull-down menu.

“Overview” provides a description of TACS.

“Help” explains how help works in TACS. It defines Contents Helpvs. Context-sensitive Help, and explains how to access differentkinds of Help. In a nutshell, the Help menu at the top of the screenprovides Contents help, which provides general information.When in a module or form, the “Help” button on the right side of theForm provides Context-sensitive or field level help.

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Most of the Contents Help is under revision. It was writtenoriginally for a previous version of TACS (client/server) and is inthe process of being rewritten.

Briefly show participants what lies behind Introduction, Main

Menu, Advanced Help Topics, and Glossary.

We will look at Context-sensitive help as we learn the specificmodules within the TACS application. We cannot stress enoughthe importance of utilizing Help when questions arise when you aredoing your job. Think of it as a performance support system: itexists solely to ensure that you are able to do your job. And youhave immediate access to it.

One particularly important and useful kind of assistance in TACSis “Hint text,” found on the bottom bar of the TACS screens. Hinttext provides messages meant to assist you in completing yourwork, an important example of which is the phrase “List of Values.”Whenever a field has multiple options, the phrase “List of Values”appears on the bottom bar. When that phrase appears, the F9key (or Find button, or <Alt><F>) will generate a menu list ofoptions available for that particular field. We will see how hint textprompts the user in the next module.

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MODULE THREE – THE CLOCK

RING EDITOR

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INTRODUCTION TO MODULE THREE (PW,29)

As a supervisor, you are responsible for your employees’ time andattendance. Scheduling, leave and tardiness, higher levelauthorization, overtime--and pay adjustments if mistakes aremade--all of these employee activities are your concern andresponsibility.

TACS is a tool that will assist you, by incorporating the latestcomputer technology, in discharging these responsibilities. It willprovide you with up to the minute information about youremployees (near real-time), and allow you to make changes toemployee records in the Clock Ring Editor easily, quickly, andwithout the intervention of other employees. TACS will enable youto use the Clock Ring Error Report to monitor each of youremployee’s clock rings. By identifying and correcting clock ringerrors, you will ensure that your employees are paid properly andon time. In addition, you will be able to provide employees withtimely feedback regarding behaviors which need to be addressed,like frequent appearances of creep overtime, tardiness, andincorrect use of the EBR.

In this module you will learn to use the clock ring editor to:ü add, change, delete, and duplicate clock rings;ü enter higher level information for employees when less than 40

hours in a particular week;ü assign appropriate reason codes and input leave for

employees;ü monitor and authorize overtime;ü disallow guaranteed time, when appropriate.

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You will also learn how to use the Clock Ring Error report, theHours Inquiry report and the Unauthorized Overtime report toassist you in identifying problems that require your attention.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CLOCK RING EDITOR(PW,30)

Normally speaking, craft employees record four basic clock ringsdaily—BT, OL, IL, ET—on an Electronic Badge Reader (EBR). Inaddition, employees record their time spent on various operationsby using the MV transaction on the EBR. The informationrecorded by the EBR is polled by TACS (continually, if you are inthe plant; on a regular basis--at 12 set intervals--if you areconnected to TACS via modem). The polled clock rings aredisplayed in the Clock Ring Editor.

The Clock Ring Editor module is where you are provided accessto employee clock rings to ensure that all employees have thecorrect combination of work and leave hours as dictated by theirschedules. You fix clock rings by adding, changing and deletingclock rings, as appropriate. You would add rings when anemployee forgets to swipe his badge at the EBR, or loses hisbadge, or takes leave. You would change rings when anemployee uses an incorrect operation number, when you wish totransfer hours from one local unit to another, or when youdocument an employee not working on overtime and you disallowthe OT. You would delete a clock ring if it’s erroneous, i.e., aduplicate BT or IL, or a move to an inactive operation.

Any time a ring is changed, TACS records the social securitynumber of the individual who changed it. NOTE: The Inspection

Service audits timekeeping records, and changing clock

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rings without appropriate cause and documentation is

illegal.

Payroll follows a weekly cycle. We all know that day 1 of the payweek is Saturday, which makes day 7 Friday. When the week iscomplete, the employee clock rings are transferred to themainframe in Eagan. In order for employees to be paid properly,their rings must be accurate before they are transferred to Eagan.If employee clock rings are not accurate, they are in error and it islikely that a payroll adjustment will be necessary. As you mayrecall from Time is Money training, the average cost of a singlepayroll adjustment is @$75. The cost of payroll adjustments canbe avoided if all employee rings were correct.

Thus, it is incumbent upon you to ensure that your employees’rings are correct each and every day. It is critical that you run aClock Ring Error report EVERYDAY--at the beginning of your tour--to identify ring errors from the day before. You then use the Errorreport to identify those employees whose rings need to be fixed inthe Clock Ring Editor. If you follow this practice, you will not haveto spend much time at the end of the week correcting rings, and,more importantly, the daily and weekly TACS reports you andhigher level management run will be accurate. If your employees

use the EBR correctly, there will be very few rings to fix.

On the Monday after the end of week one of the pay period, all ofthe employee clock rings are transferred at once—at @6:00PMlocal time. However, after the end of week two of the pay period,employee clock rings are reviewed four times—at 6:00PM Friday,Saturday, Sunday, and finally on Monday. Only the employeeswhose rings are in a “ready” status are transferred on Friday,Saturday, and Sunday. On Monday, all of the remainingemployees’ rings are transferred, whether fixed and ready, or not.

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Transferring the rings multiple times at the end of the pay periodallows the printing of checks to be spread out. Note: PTFs, TEs,

Casuals, and PTRs are not pulled on Fridays.

There are potentially two weeks of information displayed for eachemployee. Each week opens on Thursday. Since the rings aretransferred on Monday, from Thursday to Monday TACS will have2 weeks open. If the employee’s time has been transferred toEagan, TACS will show you the information but will not allow you tochange any clock rings.

NAVIGATING IN THE CLOCK RING EDITOR (PW,32)

Use your mouse and click on the “Time” pull-down menu, and thenon the “Clock Ring Editor.”

The Clock Ring Editor has only one tab. Throughout TACS, youmay use a combination of your mouse and keyboard, or just your

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keyboard providing you know the short cuts (see Appendix 1, orclick on the “Help” pull-down menu in TACS, and select “ShowKeys” and “Button Shortcuts”).

Instruct participants to do nothing while you explain the buttons.

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Radio Buttons (PW,33)

It is important to check “Edit Week,” located right under “EmployeeID,” to make sure you are working in the correct week. One ofthree radio buttons in this column must be selected. “Currentweek,” in the format of YYYY-PP-WK, allows you to enter andchange rings for the current week. “Previous week,” or “weekclosed,” if not grayed out, allows you to see the rings, but preventsyou from changing them once the week’s data is uploaded toMinneapolis. “Future” allows you to enter authorizations (i.e., leave,higher level) three weeks in advance.

The training database is frozen on pay period 05, 2000. Note thatthe range of dates in that pay period and week are shown at thebottom of the screen.

Next to “Edit Week” is “Show Assignment.” The radio button,“Base/Temp,” is the default and will always be on.

Next to “Show Assignment” is “Show Rings.” The two radiobuttons, “All” and “Active,” are used when viewing rings in theeditor: “All,” the default, displays all rings, even deleted rings;“Active” does not display deleted rings.

Next to “Show Rings” is “Ring Coloring.” Originally, the Clock RingEditor did not use color. The fact that it uses color nowdemonstrates the continual improvements that we are making to

TACS based on user feedback. In order to show participants

what the CRE looks like without color, we’ll call up an employee

using the Find button.

To pull up an employee’s record, you may simply type in theemployee ID (dashes will be filled in automatically). If you only

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have the employee’s name, with your cursor in the Employee IDfield, you may click on the “Find” button with your mouse, or press

the <Alt> key and the letter F at the same time, or press the F9 keyto obtain a list of employees.

When the list of values appears, you may immediately, without

clicking or positioning your cursor, begin typing the last name.

As you type, the letters are filled in to the left of the percent signand your list narrows.

How the Find Feature Works (PW,34)

There are 4 columns in Find: the last name, the first name, themiddle initial and the employee ID. The first column, last name, isto the left of the percent sign.

The other three columns are to the right of the percent sign. Tofind an employee by the first name, position the cursor to the rightof the % sign and type the first name. When you click on the “find”button at the bottom of the window, or press <Enter>, allemployees with that first name (or something close to it) willappear.

To find an employee by a part of the ID number, key in the part ofemployee ID you know to the right of the % sign, and click on the“find” button or press <Enter>.

When you call up an employee, the employee’s schedule is filled

in, and all of the buttons function. The instructor should call up an

employee to fill in the top row so the headings are more

meaningful. Participants are still only watching. If the class is

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CS, use a 13-4 employee from pay location 980 in finance

number 47-4632 (or from the class pay location if less than 16

participants). If the class is P&D, use an 11-0 employee from

pay location 980 in finance number 47-4634.

Now demonstrate the On/Off Ring Coloring.

The last column above the editor screen displays informationabout the employee, specifically pay location, schedule, DA, andLDC.

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Other Buttons (PW,35)

There is a “Calculator” button, which provides an on-line

calculator, should you need one.

The “Job Assignment” button on the left side of the screen

displays additional information about the particular employee’s jobassignment. It also includes leave balances. It pulls thisinformation from 2 Tabs in the Employee Maintenance Module: the“Job Assign/Weekly” and the “Daily Schedules” tabs. You cannotchange any information about the job assignment here: thosechanges can only be made in the Employee Maintenance module.

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We will discuss the other buttons as we use them.

Headings (PW,36)

Before we begin working on clock rings, let’s look at the columnsin the editor.

Ø Code – 3-digit hours code, leading 0, plus 2-digit reason code(See Appendix 3.)

Ø Date – date of the clock ringØ HH hh - the time of punch, in hundredthsØ Finance Number - can be changedØ Unit – Not in use at this timeØ R - Rate Schedule Code: Normally, you will use only 4 RSC

codes—M=Mail Handlers, P=Clerks, Q=City Letter Carriers, andE=Executive and Administrative/Casuals

Ø Lvl – employee’s level: will indicate Higher Level if inputØ Oper - Operation number: note 4 digits with trailing 0. Just as the

hours codes increased to three digits (leading “0”), so

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operation numbers have increased to four digits (trailing “0”).Unlike the Hours Codes, which will accept a two-digit

number, this field requires four digits. The expansion of

these numbers will allow a finer breakdown of information inthe future.

Ø LU - Local unitØ Route - If carrier, route numberØ Time Amt - total hours; i.e. duration of H/L, OT, leaveØ S - Was leave scheduled (Y) or not (N)Ø Ring message - There are two kinds of error message, and

you need to pay attention to both kinds. Fatal errors appear in

red and they keep the employee from getting paid correctly forthat day. When there is a Fatal error, all of the rings show themessage “Fatal Error,” but the ring that is actually in error willbe have red coloring and will show the entire message. Theseerrors must be fixed in as timely a manner as possible so thatmanagement reports have accurate data. Warning

messages point out that something out of the ordinary is goingon, but the employee will be paid for that day, although perhapsincorrectly. Sometimes action is required for warningmessages; sometimes they are just informational (i.e.,“Nonscheduled Begin Tour” may or may not mean that youneed to authorize overtime). Unlike Fatal errors, whichdisappear when the error is fixed, most warning messagesdon’t disappear (i.e., “Nonscheduled Begin Tour”).

Ø T&A day – There are 7 days each week. 0 means calculated byTACS based on clock rings. The zero changes to the correct T&Aday when the ring is saved.

Ø Forced T&A day - 16 hour problem

If the T&A day were changed by a user, the last column would befilled in with the T&A day that was forced. When would you needto force a change to the T&A day? The T&A day begins and endsat 20:00 hours. If an employee is scheduled to work on or about

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20:00 hours, and is asked to come in early 2 days in a row, thesystem may calculate 16 hours for the employee and assign thehours to one T&A day. To assign the correct T&A day to the ringsof a regular employee, you need to authorize overtime for theexact number of overtime hours. If the employee is not a regular,change the T&A day to reflect the correct day for the clock rings.

When you click on the double arrows on the lower right, fouradditional columns in the Clock Ring Editor are displayed.

Ø TZ – Time Zone. This is not to be manipulated when

moving in and out of Daylight Savings Time: Eagan will

adjust those time shifts. This is to be used only in those

instances where an employee works in two facilities in a givenday in different time zones. This will be used rarely, and,generally speaking, only in sites that are geographicallylocated near different time zones.

Ø Source – Indicates whether the ring came from an EBR or apersonal computer.

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Ø Delete Authorizer – Social security number of the individualwho deleted the ring.

Ø Input Authorizer -- Social security number of the individual whoadded the ring.

Week 1, First Work Day -- “Pre-Proc” Button (PW,39)

Now that we have examined the header information and the firstclock ring for this employee for week 1, let’s look at the remaining

clock rings for that first day. Walk participants through the

remaining good rings for Day 1. Make sure to ask them what

each entry means to keep them involved.

The Pre-Process button is a handy tool, especially when learning

the TACS application. The 'pre-process' functionality includesprocessing rings as the programmed TA_CALC (Time &Attendance calculation) routine would, and reporting the outcometo the user. The user can then determine if the entered or modifiedclock rings should be saved to the database. The Clock Rings areposted to the database only when you click on the “Save” button.When you do use the “Save” button, the Editor clears. Use thePre-Process button to check your work; use the “Save” buttonwhen you have finished making all changes to that employee’stime. Only when rings are saved to the database will they appearin the Clock Ring Editor and in reports.

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Click on the Pre-Proc button.

The Pre-Process button will show the hours that have beenposted, so far, for the week. You cannot make any changes on thistab. You make changes by closing the pre-process screen, andgoing back into the Editor.

Note that there are two sections in the Pre-processor. The topportion shows what days have posted for the week, and identifies,by hours code and time amount, what the employee will be paid.Days show up in this upper section only after fatal errors havebeen fixed.

The bottom section shows the actual rings in the Editor, but itincorporates whatever changes were made. Thus, if a ring is fixedin the Clock Ring Editor but not saved, the Pre-Processor willshow you what the editor will look like when the ring is saved. Inother words, it will show you whether or not you have fixed theerror.

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Note that, because we have 4 good rings on the first day and no

fatal errors, the day posts in the top section. Show participants

that the employee worked 8 hours of regular work on day 1.

Close the Pre-Processor.

We mentioned earlier that the Clock Ring Error Report will

assist you in identifying errors that need your attention. On a dailybasis, you will find it most useful to run a Clock Ring Error reportfor the entire week to identify errors and problems. If you make ahabit of fixing the previous day’s errors everyday, your work will nottake long. You will be able to fix many of these errorsimmediately, by yourself, while others may require discussion withindividual employees.

Hand out copies of the appropriate generic Clock Ring Error

Report obtained from the TACS web page, which will be easier to

read than the examples below. Below are excerpts from theClock Ring Error Report for the finance number and pay locationof the employee we are in the process of fixing. J.F. Lyons is aletter carrier from finance number 47-4632. D.W. McGee is a

clerk from finance number 47-4634. Focus the class on the

appropriate employee.

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Go over the header information for the Clock Ring Error Report.

Tell them that they will learn how to produce this report a little

later, after we finish correcting the week 1 errors. The class

should be able to identify most of the headers.

“Input Auth.” and “Date” and “Delete Auth.” and “Date” will show thesocial security number of the individual that input or deleted thering when it is someone other than the badge owner, whether therings were input or deleted at an EBR or personal computer.

Note that, like in the Clock Ring Editor, when there is a “Fatal”error, all of the rings for that day have a “Fatal Error” warning. Thering that contains an explanation of the error is actually the onlyone in error. If the explanation appears on each ring, the systemcannot determine which ring is in error. When that error iscorrected, all of the “Fatal Error” messages for that day willdisappear.

Tell participants that, because it contains no errors, the first

workday does not appear on the report. The instructor should

demonstrate how to draw lines on the report to separate work

days.

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Week 1, Second Workday (PW,42)

Adding Rings

Move on to the second work day. Ask participants to identify the

fatal error, which is a missing lunch. Demonstrate how to add the

lunch rings (clerk) or the move to operation 7210 (carrier) which

generates an auto-lunch.

Click on the Add button or press <Alt> A on your keyboard, andyour cursor goes to the first box – “Transaction,” “Code” – on anew line. If you already know the code, with the cursor positionedin the first field of the blank line, type it in.

But what if you don’t know the code? Note that with the cursorpositioned in the first field, hint text “List of Values” appears, sopress <F9> or click on the “Find” button.

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The first thing to note is that all of the codes now have three digits,not two. Expanding to three digits makes possible the futureaddition of more codes. To select from the list, use the scroll baron the right and highlight the code you want. Then click on the OKbutton, or press <Enter>. Appendix 3 contains complete lists ofHours Codes and Reason Codes.

Add an OL ring (clerks) or a MV ring to operation 7210 at 10:30(carriers) and press <Tab>. Use <Tab> or <Enter> to advance tothe next field: <Shift><Tab> moves back to the previous field.

After you key the hours code and press <Tab> or <Enter>, the restof the line fills in automatically, reflecting the employee’s baseschedule, and the date field is highlighted. Change it andwhatever else needs to be changed by hitting <Tab> or <Enter> toadvance to the next field. When you advance through all the fields,the cursor will move to the next line. If you wish to escape fromtabbing through the fields, you can click on the Add button (Alt Aon keyboard) to begin a new line or you can use your mouse toposition your cursor on another line.

Click on the Pre-Process button again.

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Note that day 2 has now posted in the top portion and the fatalerror message has disappeared from the bottom section.

Rings can be entered in any sequence, and will not be sortedduring data entry. After you enter your rings, the Pre-Processbutton will show you if there are any problems with your entries andwill sort them into sequence.

If you click on the Pre-Process button and nothing happens, checkto see if your cursor is on a blank line in the editor. The Pre-Process button only works when the cursor is on a line with data init. If you are on a blank line, click on the “delete” button to get rid ofthe empty line, and then try the Pre-Process button again

At this point, the instructor should assign participants an

employee from the class pay location: the employee should be

DA 11-0 if from a pay location in the plant finance number (47-

4634), or a DA 13-4 if from a pay location in Customer Service

(47-4632). The assignment may be done by preparing in

advance: run an Employee Listing Report for the class pay

location; make 15 copies; highlight a different 11-0 or 13-4

employee on each sheet. Alternatively, you can project an

Employee Listing Report and have participants write down their

assigned employee.

After the assignment is made, have employees use the Find

feature to call up their assigned employees in the Editor. Then

they correct their own employee’s second work day, doing what

they just watched you do, following the step-by-step instructions

in the Participant’s Workbook. Explain to them that all of the

carriers (or clerks) have the same errors in week 1 so the Clock

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Ring Error reports in the book will be accurate for their own

assigned employees. Tell them to stop after the second

workday.

Week 1, Third Work day (PW,44)

“Delete” Button and Authorizing Overtime

For the remaining work days in week 1, one day at a time, first

ask the participants to identify the problem, then demonstrate

how to fix it, then have them fix their own assigned employees.

Stress that they will have a chance to work on their own

employee in a few minutes, but that you need their undivided

attention so they will know how it’s done.

There are 2 problems on Day 3. The first is a duplicate Begin

Tour which needs to be fixed by using the “delete” button to get

rid of the second, erroneous ring.

After you save the deletion, an “Overtime not Authorized”

Warning message will appear. The second problem on Day 3 is

that the overtime has not been authorized. Let participants know

that they need to pay attention to Warning messages, but that

not all Warning messages require action.

Overtime (and higher level assignment) are authorized byselecting the appropriate hours codes and adding them in thesame way you added clock rings. Code 090 authorizes higherlevel, and code 091 authorizes overtime.

Authorize overtime in increments of 1 hour: the system will payovertime according to clock rings. For example, if you authorize 1hour of overtime and the employee works .50, he/she will be paid

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.50 overtime. Overtime that is at the end of a regular employee’stour starts at the scheduled End tour. Overtime for employees thatcome in before their tour starts at the actual time of the BeginTour.

Reason codes are now used to track the type of overtimeauthorized. Appendix 3 has a list of all reason codes, includingthe six codes used for overtime authorization.

Demonstrate how to authorize OT, and then let participants do it

for their assigned employees.

TACS will pay overtime for employees whether it is authorized ornot. But, overtime should be authorized for 2 reasons. The Plant

will have a new program installed called PC-MODS. PC-MODS isan application that gets employee clock rings from TACS. Whenovertime is authorized, a code is sent to PC-MODS indicating thatcertain hours are in fact overtime. If the overtime is not authorizedand not properly assigned as before or after tour, PC-MODS mayattribute these hours to incorrect operations thereby skewing plantreports.

The other important reason is the prevention of ‘creep” overtime.Creep overtime occurs when employees are lax about thetimeliness of their rings. If their time on the clock exceeds the 5-minute leeway, they will be paid overtime. The Postal Servicemust control overtime costs and you must ensure that employeeovertime is paid for time worked. You should pay attention to theWarning message “overtime not authorized,” and take steps todeal with employees who are getting overtime pay for untimelyrings.

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If an employee’s rings generate overtime, we have to pay thatovertime. The only way not to pay the overtime is if you observethe employee not working the overtime, document it on Form1017A, and obtain the employee’s signature on that form. If the1017A is properly completed, you would actually change the ringto eliminate that instance of overtime. If the Form 1017A were notproperly completed and filed and you changed the ring anyway,you would be committing fraud.

Week 1, Fourth Work Day (PW,45)

“Duplicate” Button and Entering Leave

Leave entry follows the same procedure as adding clock rings andauthorizing higher level and overtime. You select the appropriatehours code and add a line in the Clock Ring Editor. As inauthorizing overtime, you may use increments of an hour or ½ hour:the system will take only the time it needs. However, since the

Clock Ring Error Report specifies exactly how much leave

is missing, you should get into the habit of using exact

amounts.

Note: You must specify the exact amount of leave when

• overtime and leave are used on the same day;

• two types of leave are used on the same day;

• two different reason codes are used for the same day.

Demonstrate how to fix the short fourth workday by adding

annual leave. After they fix their own assigned employees, have

them find the leave entry in the Pre-Processor.

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The “Future” radio button is used for inputting leave for employeesbeyond the current week that you are in. You may enter leave upto 21 days in advance. The dates for which leave can be enteredis specified at the bottom of the screen.

When entering leave in the future, use the weekly schedule and acalendar to determine which are the non-scheduled days for theleave week. If leave is entered for the wrong day, the employee’sclock rings will supersede the leave entry, and/or the errormessage “Leave on Off Day” will appear.

The Add, Delete, Change, Duplicate, and Calculator buttons areavailable when entering future rings; the Pre Process button is not.Make sure you click on the Save button or press <Alt> S on yourkeyboard when finished.

The way leave is reported and coded has changed. Reasoncodes are now used, which specify why the leave was used.Appendix 3 has a full list of reason codes.

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Demonstrate how to enter leave using the “Duplicate” button.

Then, have participants enter a week of sick leave for their

employee for the week of 2/26-3/3.

Day 5, Fifth Workday (PW,47)

Authorizing Higher Level and the “Change” Button

Demonstrate how to enter higher level by putting your

demonstration employee in for 8 hours at EAS 16. Let

participants know that this is a fictitious situation. When

someone is acting as a supervisor, they would not have 4

operational clock rings. We are giving them Higher level after

the fact only to demonstrate how higher level authorizations are

entered.

Then use the “Change” button to change the operation number

to 7050 (for CS; for plant, use 7000). Tell them that theoperation number of the authorization ring does not actuallycharge the hours to that operation: the BT and the IL rings

must reflect the correct operation number. After the

demonstration, have participants assign higher level to their

assigned employees.

Use the “Change” button when you need to change a ring. Theinitial, saved ring will be marked as deleted, and a new ring will begenerated in which you make the change. If you want to changean entry before you save it, you may simply position your cursor inthe field you wish to change, and make the change. Once yousave the entry, however, you must use the Change button (Alt H onkeyboard).

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The Clock Ring Error Report (PW,47)

From the main menu select Reports.

Then click on clock ring reports.

The Clock Ring Error Report is the first tab, and the default tab, inthe Clock Ring Reports Module.

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TACS REPORT PARAMETERS (PW,48)

TACS contains an abundance of data about employees,

including their master file records, clock rings, leave balances,

etc. Appendix 2 lists all of the 54 reports available from TACS.

This amount of data is overwhelming in its entirety: it must be

filtered so we get only the information we need. For each report

you run you must set parameters so that you get the information

for which you are looking.

The block outlined below shows parameters that can be set onmost reports.

1. Finance Number - An assigned six-digit number that identifies

an installation for processing its financial data. You may pressone of three radio buttons: all, single or selection. (Selectionallows you to identify as many as six finance numbers using thearrow keys on screen or your keyboard to scroll.) If you do notspecify pay locations, the report will not break the data downfrom the finance number level.

2. Finance Units- not used at this time. Will be used to trackfinance number sub-unit budgets.

3. Pay Locations - As for finance number, you may press one ofthree radio buttons: all, single or selection.

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4. YrPPW- Single Week/Range - Year, Pay Period, Week. Youmay select a single week, or a range of weeks.

5. Week Period - Entire Week/Single Day. You may select asingle day or entire week.

6. Page Breaks - Separate finance numbers by page breaks byclicking the first radio button, or finance units/pay locations bypage breaks by clicking on the second button.

7. Number of Copies.

Reports will also contain some additional, different elements. TheClock Ring Error Report, for example, contains an additionalparameter called “Error Level Selection.”

The parameters we set act like filters for the data contained inTACS, and allow us to refine our reporting precision. As you useand familiarize yourselves with TACS, you should explore howdifferent parameter settings affect the reports you generate.

THE REPORT QUEUE (PW,50)

The Report Queue Module is used to View, Delete and Re-Runreports that were run from the various Report Modules. Instead ofthe reports displaying immediately to the user, the user now willview the report from the Report Queue Module.

After selecting a report to run and setting the parameters (i.e. paylocation, finance number. PP and week), click on the run button (orpress <Enter>). It will seem like nothing has happened, but a hint

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text message--"Report Executed. Check Report Queue”-- willappear.

Click on Reports from the drop down menu, and click on ReportQueue. A screen will appear showing the report you just ran.

If the status displayed is “starting” or “running,” click on the“Refresh” button to change the status of the report you just ran.When the status says “complete,” click on the “View” button andthe report will be displayed.

Button Functions:• Refresh – Updates the queue with the report’s latest status.• Stats – Displays a Statistics window that gives certain

statistics about the report and displays any errors that mayhave occurred. This window can be used to see if the report isstill running.

• Refresh – Updates the statistics in the Statisticswindow.

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• Close – Closes the Statistics window.• View – Views a Completed report.• Delete – Deletes the report from the Report Queue Module.• Re-Run – Executes the selected report again using the same

parameters that were used in the initial execution. This willcause the creation of another report in the report queue.

• Close – Closes the Report Queue Module.

The reports that you run will remain in the Report Queue for 4 daysbefore the system deletes them. If you run the same reports duringa week, you may run these reports from the Report Queue byhighlighting the report you want and clicking on the Re-run button.Of course it will give you the same parameters you requested fromthe particular Report Module when you first ran it.

Once the new week has opened and you need reports for thatweek, you must again set up the parameters from each Reportmodule parameter screen indicating the particular PP and weekyou want.

While in the Report Queue module, the Status column will displayone of three messages.• Starting – After clicking on the Refresh button the message

should change to ‘running’ or ‘complete’. If the message stayson starting, after clicking on ‘Refresh’ a few times, you mayneed to re-run the report.

• Running – After clicking on the Refresh button this messageshould change to “Complete.” If not, click on the Refresh buttonagain for an update.

• Complete – The report has finished and you may view thereport by clicking on the “View” button.

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Note that it does not take long for the list of reports in the reportqueue to grow. You need to delete reports from the queue if you

will not rerun them. Demonstrate how to delete reports from the

queue.

Now that we can run and view reports, let’s go back to the Clock

Ring Error Report, which we already identified as an important

report that you would run everyday at the beginning of your Tour.

Have the class run a Clock Ring Error Report for week 1. There

should be no remaining errors for 13-4 employees in finance

number 47-4632 or 11-0 employees in finance number 47-4634.

Only employees with errors will appear on the Clock RingError Report.

Explain to them that there are two additional reports that are very

important for them to look at everyday: Hours Inquiry and

Unauthorized Overtime reports.

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The Hours Inquiry Report (PW,53)

From the main menu select Reports.

Then select Schedule Reports.

The Tabs along the top of the screen will take you to the differenttypes of schedule reports.

Let’s click on the Hours Type Inquiry Report.

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The Hours Type Inquiry Report has room to select 5 differentcodes. After selecting the filters you wish to employ, (financenumber 47-4632, class pay location), you may select either theHours Code or the Hours Code/Reason Code by clicking on theappropriate radio button.

Let’s take a look at the Hours Code/Reason Code list by clickingon the appropriate radio button, and then striking <F9>.

Note that these are 5-digit numbers. Most of the codes are hourscodes with a 00 on the end. However, look at code 024. Note thatthere are now two codes for AWOL. Primarily for leave usage,reason codes provide a finer breakdown then was previouslyavailable. (Appendix 3 contains listings of the Hours Codes andthe Hours Codes/Reason Codes.) Within code 056, for example,there are now six reasons for sick leave.

The value of Hours Inquiry Report is that it can show you thenumber of hours of a particular type incurred within a financenumber, pay location, etc.

Let’s run a sample report on some hours codes. Solicit hours

codes from participants. Make sure that 062 (guarantee time)

and 068 (guarantee overtime) are identified. Stress the

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importance of checking these two codes everyday. Have the

class run the report for the class pay location, pp5, week 1.

After generating a report on screen, the report needs to beprinted, minimized (if needed again shortly), saved, or closed.The report is closed by clicking on the “X” button in the uppermostright corner of your screen.

The Unauthorized Overtime Report (PW,55)

Another report that you should run daily is the Unauthorized

Overtime Report which is found in the Clock Ring Reports

Module. In PC-MODS, if overtime is not authorized, it may not becredited to the correct operation. Unauthorized overtime mayskew the PC-MODS data and undermine the validity of PC-MODSreports.

Additionally, you need to control the expense of overtime. Whenyou assign a given amount of overtime to an employee, you expectthe employee to work within that timeframe. Creep overtime,which occurs when employees exceed the amount of authorizedovertime by a few clicks or a few minutes, is an unnecessaryexpense to the Postal Service. The Unauthorized OvertimeReport will show you how much overtime was used by employeesin a given pay location, and how much was authorized.

Have the class generate an Unauthorized Overtime Report for

the class pay location, week 1. Go over the header information

on the Unauthorized Overtime Report. Refer participants to the

report packet so they can read the headers more easily. Make

sure participants understand how to read the report. All of the

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overtime for 13-4 or 11-0 employees for week 1 should have

been authorized.

Ask participants if they have any questions before we proceed.

First Group Exercise (PW,55)

Explain that we will spend some time practicing what we’ve

learned. We fixed the errors we found in week 1 for our assigned

employee. Now hand out the generic Clock Ring Error Report,

obtained from the TACS web page, for the other types of

employees for week 1.

Next, divide the class into groups of 3. Each group is assigned 2

other types of employees. CS has been working on a 13-4

employee: in this exercise, they will work on an 11-0 and a 43-4.

P&D has been working on an 11-0 employee; in this exercise,

they will work on a 12-0 and a 41-0. The class pay location will

have 5 employees of these other types. To make the

assignment, either prepare copies of the Employee Listing

Report for the class pay location in advance, with two employees

highlighted on each handout, that the group will fix. Or, you may

project the Employee Listing Report for the class pay location

and have each group write down the employees they will fix.

We will now split into groups of 3. Each group will be assigned aPTF and another employee type. Correct all of the errors thatappear on the Clock Ring Error Report for your assignedemployees for week 1.

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After you have corrected all of the errors, run the Clock Ring ErrorReport, the Hours Inquiry Report for codes 062 and 068, and theUnauthorized Overtime Report to check your work.

Individual Exercise (PW,56)

Have participants return to their seats. Hand out the generic

Clock Ring Error Report for the 11-0 or 13-4 employee, obtained

from the TACS web page, for week 2. Tell them to use the report

to fix the week 2 errors for the employee they were previously

assigned.

There is a holiday in week 2, so their employees get 8 hours ofholiday pay. In addition, they worked one of their off days. On theoff day worked, they are guaranteed 8 hours. Their rings for theday add up to 7.95, so they are paid .05 guarantee overtime(068).

On the fourth workday, your employee came in .15 late, had ascheduled doctor’s appointment at lunch, and had to work 2 hoursof overtime.

The correct solution for the fourth workday is .15 of code 055 09

at the scheduled begin tour, 1.5 hours of code 056 00 and code

093, at lunch, and 2 hours of 091 02 at the scheduled end tour.

The instructors should circulate, making sure that everyone

knows what they are doing.

Second Group Exercise (PW,56)

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Hand out the generic Clock Ring Error Report, obtained from the

TACS web page, for the other types of employees for week 2.

We will now split up into the same groups of 3 we did earlier. Forthe same 2 employees your group was previously assigned,identify the week 2 errors and then fix them.

When you believe you have fixed all the errors, run a Clock RingError Report for week 2 for the class pay location. If the errors arefixed, your employees will not appear on that report.

Then run an Hours Inquiry Report to check guarantee time andguarantee overtime for week 2. After you have finished correctingany guarantee time for your assigned employees, run anUnauthorized Overtime Report, and authorize any OT worked byyour assigned employees that has not yet been authorized.

These exercises you have just completed are exactly what you willbe doing when TACS is in production. The differences are thatyou will be working on your own employees, you will be workingalone, and the errors will not be so numerous. Remember that youcan ask for assistance from your peers, the data site, the TACSCoordinator, TACS instructors and coaches. The way to makesure the errors are few is to ensure that your employees use theEBR correctly.

MOVING HOURS FROM ONE STATION TO

ANOTHER (PW,57) (For Customer Service and others, if

appropriate)

A question delivery supervisors always ask: “How can I move workhours when I borrow/lend a carrier to/from another station.” The

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local unit add-on to the operation number reflects the pay locationin delivery units. By simply changing the LU to another paylocation, you transfer the hours. For this demonstration, we willuse FTR Annie Smith, 198-92-0556, who normally works onoperation/LU 721-00/722-00. We will move the hours to 721-12/722-12.

• In order to move the hours to another station, all we need to dois change the LU on the operation numbers from 00 to 12.

• Highlight the first BT on the screen with your mouse.• Click on the change button or <Alt> U on your keyboard.• When the box moves to LU just type over 00 with 12 and do

this for all rings with operation numbers.• A simpler way would be to ask the employee to use LU 12 at

the time she is clocking in at the EBR.

Hours can also be transferred between finance numbers in theClock Ring Editor, as long as the user has access to both financenumbers involved.

Customer Service supervisors have instructions, in Appendix 4,for uploading TACS work hour information to DSIS.

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MODULE FOUR -- USING TACS

TO MONITOR EMPLOYEE

PERFORMANCE

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DRAFT TACS TRAINING


INTRODUCTION TO MODULE FOUR (PW, 61)

Generally speaking, most of your work in TACS will be done earlyin your tour. This way you can review yesterday’s performance andidentify positive and negative trends as you review and correctyour employees’ clock rings.

After you have made appropriate changes in the Clock RingEditor based on the errors you identified from the Clock Ring ErrorReport, the Hours Inquiry Report, and the Unauthorized OvertimeReport, wait a short while (10 minutes in the plant; 1 hour, or adifferent pre-set interval, at a station using a modem connection)and run either the Station Summary Report or LDC/OperationSummary Report. These reports will provide summary informationincorporating the changes you entered and are used to check thatyour employees’ hours are now correct. In delivery units, ifemployee clock rings are fixed by the time the daily DSIS report isrun, employee rings will not need to be fixed in DSIS.

NOTE: Do not run reports until you have fixed the rings for the day:

if you run reports for employees with errors in their rings, thereports will incorporate the errors and the results will beinaccurate. Remember, garbage in, garbage out.

If time permits, it will help the next day’s timekeeping if you enter1260s and 1261s, 3971s, 3189s, etc. into the Clock Ring Editorbefore you leave for the day. Note: You may enter same day

data only after the employee’s scheduled ring time. If time

permits, you may begin correcting same day rings for employeeswho have already ended tour.

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In Module 4 we will look at and discuss some additional reports aswell as some other features of TACS that you will find useful.

ARCHIVE REPORTS (PW,62)

In general, 2 pay periods or 4 weeks of information remainsavailable for TACS reports. After 4 weeks, the information is nolonger available, except for archive reports. The following 9reports will be able to retrieve archive data in TACS. Data that isarchived is available for three years before being dropped.

Employee Reports• Employee Everything Report• Employee Listing Report• Employee Moves ReportFinance Reports• LDC/Operation Summary Report• Station SummarySchedule Reports• Hours Analysis Report• Daily Hours ReportClock Ring Reports• Ring Disallowance ReportTimecard Entry Reports• Time Certification Report

Reports Exercise (60 minutes) (PW,62)

Divide the class into 3 groups. Assign each group one of the

groupings of reports. Tell them that they should run each report

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


at least twice using different parameters for their class pay

location. Then 3 different spokespersons in each group will

explain the three reports to the rest of the class who will use the

sample report in the report packet to follow along.

LDC/Operation Summary (P&D) or Station Summary (CS)Daily HoursEmployee Listing

Employee AllEmployee MovesMissing Time

Overtime AlertHours and DollarsEmployees on the Clock

For your assigned group of reports, run each report at least twiceusing different parameters, and discuss all of the assignedreports, using Finance Number 47-4632, pay location 980(Customer Service) or 47-4634, p/l 980 (Processing &Distribution). Discuss the value of each report with your group,and identify which reports will be most helpful and/or most widelyused at your workplace, and why.

Each group will identify 3 spokespersons, and eachspokesperson will explain one of the 3 assigned reports to the restof the participants, using the sample report in the report packet forillustration.

If you will want to refer again to the report after viewing it, be sureto minimize it rather than close it. If there is no data in the report,use the sample reports in the report packet.

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There are other valuable reports that we will not look at becausethey are not available in our training database. For example, RawRing Errors and Automatic Higher Level Reports both depend onrings from time clocks; and the Time Certification Report and theFLASH Reference Report require that the week be closed.

The following information is provided to the instructor to assist in

debriefing each of the reports.

The Station Summary Report lists work hours by LDC, as well

as overtime and sick leave hours. The hours are reported by day

of the week and a weekly total column is also provided.

This report, as all TACS reports, is only as good as the data

feeding it. For example, if employees used erroneous operation

numbers that are not corrected, the report will be skewed. If your

office uses local units, you should run this report by local units:

this will allow you to reconcile the Station Summary with

PCFlash.

The LDC/Operation Summary Report offers several reporting

options in the “Summarize By” section on the bottom of the form.

The user can pick the LDC’s, Operations and Local Units

desired to see on the report. The default will be all LDC’s and/or

all Operations and Local Units. All of the reports total work

hours, overtime hours and sick leave hours by LDC and/or by

Operation. These reports are based on operation hours

attributed to the finance number and/or pay location you select.

Again the data is only as good as the inputs: EBR errors will

produce erroneous reports (“Garbage in, garbage out!”)

Daily Hours Report gives daily totals of different hours codes.

Casuals and PTF’s may not work everyday, but because they

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are not in error and don’t follow a fixed schedule, they will not

show up on the Clock Ring Error Report or the Missing Time

Report. The Daily Hours Report will show what hours were

actually worked by these employees.

Employee Listing Report generates lists of employee, by pay

location, showing non-scheduled days, reporting times, base

operations, etc. It can be used in granting leave requests. Any

corrections to the Employee Listing Report should be sent to the

TACS Control Site so that the Employee Master File can be

correct.

The Employee All Report, which we looked at in the beginning

of the class will give you all rings for a pay location or a single

employee. It can be used for payroll and grievance research,

and shows all activity relating to each employee. It will identify

which EBR was used for particular rings, who made changes in

the Clock Ring Editor, employee leave balances, etc.

The Employee Moves Report identifies the amount of time

spent by employees in a particular operation and/or LU.

One very useful report will be the Overtime Alert Report, which

will assist you in maintaining the Overtime Desired List. It will

help you monitor employees, including PTF’s and casuals, who

have worked overtime on consecutive days so as to avoid

penalty overtime. It will also identify instances of creep overtime.

An employee will show up on this report if

• S/he has worked more than 8 hours for any day of the

week;

• S/he has worked both scheduled days off;

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• S/he has worked more than 32 hours for the week and

also worked a scheduled day off;

• S/he has already worked overtime;

• S/he is still on the clock and the projected time remaining

on her/his schedule will take her/him into overtime;

• His/her cumulative work, plus his/her remaining schedule

will take him/her into overtime for the week.

The Missing Time Report will identify employees who are

missing time. Caution: not all employees missing time (i.e.,

casuals) will show up in the Clock Ring Error Report. For

example, the Missing Time Report will pick up an erroneous

entry made via the EBR that does not appear in the Clock Ring

Error Report.

The Hours and Dollars Report provides actual work hour costs

by employee category and Des. Act. code.

The Employees on the Clock Report can tell or who is working

at a given time and on what operation. It is useful for delivery

units to determine you who is still out on the street. It can be

used in a crisis situation to determine who is in the building.

This is also an important report for the Inspection Service.

The Carrier Moves report will show when carriers left and

returned to the office.

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OTHER OPTIONS/BENEFITS IN TACS

Badge Control (PW,64)

The new software in your Badge Making Equipment is able toassign a badge type and sequence number to a particular badge.

All badge types currently in use will be recognized as sequencenumber “0” when you start using TACS. If an employee loses abadge, the badge is deactivated in TACS, and the next sequencenumber (i.e., “1”) is assigned to the new badge. If the employeeuses a badge that does not have this “active” sequence number,the employee’s rings will not process. These unprocessed ringswill be found only in the Raw Ring Error Report. We hope to seean enhancement shortly which will have employee use of anunassigned badge appear as an error in the Clock Ring ErrorReport.

There are six types of badges that can be created for employees.Type 1: Permanent Regular BadgeType 2: Permanent Authorizing BadgeType 3: Permanent Dual BadgeType 4: Temporary Employee BadgeType 5: Temporary Authorizing BadgeType 9: Vehicle Badge

While your employees will have one, and only one, Type 1 badge,supervisors will be issued a Type 2, authorizer, badge.In the next module, we will see how to use the EBR to enter data inTACS. The Authorizer Badge will enable you to work on youremployees’ time at the EBR. It is possible to do just abouteverything you can do in the Clock Ring Editor on the EBR.

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Authorizing overtime on the EBR in fact can be easier than doing iton a personal computer.

It will also enable you to restart an EBR should one lose power.

Finally, you can use it as a badge to record your own time. Youcan swipe an authorizer badge in the same way a craft employeeswipes a Type 1 badge.

The TACS Coordinator will not normally provide any postalemployee with update access to his/her own employee record.

All EAS employees can be paid automatically and by exception.When the 1261 indicator is checked in the job assignment tab ofthe employee’s maintenance file, clock rings are automaticallygenerated by TACS. EAS exempt employees do not qualify forovertime or other premiums, so their timekeeping amounts toentering leave when appropriate.

Special Exempt employees do qualify for extra straight time whenthey work more than 8.5 hours. The supervisor can swipe the ETwith the authorizer badge, and it will override automatic generationof the ET. If the extra work is before tour, the supervisor shouldswipe the BT and the ET. Alternatively, the supervisor can providea 1260 to his manager who can enter the ET for the supervisor inthe Clock Ring Editor and authorize the additional work time.

Because the automatically generated rings are always swept firston Friday of week 2 of the pay period, the inputs for additionalsupervisory work on Fridays need to be timely. If a supervisor isworking extra straight time on day 7 of week 2, he should ask thedata site to put his rings on “hold.”

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


THE EMPLOYEE MAINTENANCE MODULE (PW,66)

The Employee Maintenance Module contains information on eachemployee in TACS. This information is updated from theMinneapolis Mainframe each week. When EmployeeMaintenance is selected, the User, providing he has updateaccess, may add, change or delete (remove) employees from theTACS application.

You will have query only access to most of the Employee FileMaintenance module. All changes to Employee Master files willbe made by TACS Control Site personnel, with the exception ofDaily Schedules changes.

When the User first enters the Employee Maintenance Module, theEmployee Tab screen will appear. An employee ID must be

entered before any other tabs can be used. Enter an employee’s

name so the fields are filled in.

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


Ø “Start Pay period” indicates the pay period during which theemployee started in the Postal Service.

Ø “Start Date” gives the actual date of hiring, useful fordetermining seniority, and is downloaded from the mainframe.

Ø “Employee Status” indicates if the employee is active,pending, terminated, or deleted.

Ø “LATS Access Level” will indicate the particular user’s level ofaccess in LATS.

Ø “Automatic Higher Level Indicator” must be checked for theemployee to be paid higher level automatically when usingcertain operation numbers, as long as he/she is of the correctDA Code and LDC. (See PW, 93-96.)

Ø “Borrowed Employee Indicator” is checked only when theemployee is on loan from another performance cluster and isbeing paid out of the other performance cluster. If this box iserroneously checked for a performance cluster employee, theemployee will get LWOP for that period of time.

Ø “Time Collection” indicates whether the employee is in a timeclock (EBR) or time card office.

Other employee information can be accessed from this screen. Byselecting a Tab on the top of the screen the User may select JobAssignment/Weekly Schedule Tab, Daily Schedules Tab, PriorAssignments Tab, or Leave Information Tab. We will brieflydiscuss these tabs.

All tabs and buttons not available for use will appear grayed out.

After the data is retrieved from the tables, these tabs and buttons

will be available, based on the User's permissions. Users must

either click the Find button, which displays a list of employees, or

type in the Employee ID, before any access to the other tabs is

available. With security permission, the User may access the

other screens by clicking a selected tab. All accessible data

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


displays only one employee ID at a time. If a User has multiple

employees to change she/he will need to return to the Employee

Tab screen for each new employee ID.

JOB ASSIGNMENT/WEEKLY SCHEDULE TAB(PW,67)

Each employee MUST have at least one base job assignmentactive for any given year, pay period and week, unless theemployee's status is "deleted". This screen comes up when theUser has clicked on the Job Assignment/Weekly Schedule Tabfrom the Employee Maintenance module. Much of the informationon this screen is summarized in the Clock Ring Editor when youclick on the “Job Assignment” button.

The Add button, Update button, and Delete button are availableonly when the User has permissions for these. The Employee IDand Name boxes are carried over from the Employee Tab and theUser cannot move into or click on these items.

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


Temporary assignments of a week or longer are entered here witha “T” in the “Type of Job Assignment” box. If the job assignment isa Temporary job, it may be deleted. Base and Dual assignmentsmay not be deleted.

On the right side of the form, there are three boxes. “1261,” whenchecked, will automatically generate rings. “Auto lunch,” whenchecked, will automatically generate lunch rings based on theemployee’s schedule. “Variable EAS Indicator” allows eligibleEAS employees to be paid premiums to which they may beeligible if their schedule is temporarily changed. When this box ischecked the employee will be held until the final upload on Mondayso that any premium worked may be adjusted before upload.

The Weekly Schedule is populated weekly from the downloadprocedure, but, if the User has made modifications or added newschedules for an employee, the most recent record will be used.

DAILY SCHEDULES TAB (PW,69)

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The purpose of the Daily Schedules Tab is to allow modificationsto be made, on a day to day basis, for the employee's schedule. Itis only accessible after the User has brought up an employee onthe Employee Tab. It is populated with the schedule informationfrom the most current base assignment and weekly schedule.

In the “Type of Job Assignment,” you will see a “B” for Baseassignment or a “T” for a temporary job assignment. You cantoggle back and forth between the base and temporaryassignment by clicking into the Job Assignment Tab and clickingon the “Diff Wk/JA” button.

Supervisors may have access to make temporary schedulechanges for their employees.

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


TEMPORARY SCHEDULE CHANGE (PW,70)

In the Employee Maintenance Module, call up the employee youwere previously assigned. Move to the Daily Schedules Tab.Click on the ‘x’ in one of the boxes in the “Day Off” column to turn itoff, and click on another box (any day) to make the ‘x’ appear.

You have now changed someone scheduled day off for the currentweek. Make sure you’re in the correct PP and week. Also, bevery careful as to which day you change: if the wrong day isindicated, the employee could get LWOP for one day and OT forthe other day.

The TACS system will re-compute for the employee which day isthe holiday if there is a change of days off in a holiday week. It willalso re-compute the Sunday premium if it is affected by a changeof off days. NOTE: If an employee requests the change

(3189) for personal convenience, he/she is not entitled to

Sunday premium even if the employee works on Sunday.

The supervisor should uncheck the Sunday Actual Box.

Unless the change is for personal convenience, a change instarting time could result in the employee becoming eligible forout-of-schedule premium. When management changes theemployee’s bid schedule, the Out of Schedule box must bechecked, and form 1723 completed, for the employee to receivethis premium. (Out of schedule premium may also be enteredusing code 073 in the Clock Ring Editor.)

DRAFT TACS TRAINING


LEAVE INFORMATION TAB (PW,71)

The Leave Information Tab, in the Employee Maintenance Module,is populated from the Employee Tab, based on the employee ID.The user’s security clearance is checked before access to thisinformation is allowed. Leave balances are downloaded from thePayroll System on the Eagan mainframe each Thursday. Theleave totals are based on paid hours and even though they aredownloaded each week they are not updated until after anemployee is paid and updates to the main frame are complete(biweekly).

The Leave information is for display purposes only and is notchanged during the week. The Leave information is based on theLeave Year. SLDC cannot exceed 80 hours in a calendar year.In order to be eligible for FMLA, a minimum of 1250 hours musthave been worked over the past 12 months. No more than 480hours of FMLA leave may be used in a calendar year.

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DRAFT TACS TRAINING


MODULE FIVE -- TACS AND THE

ELECTRONIC BADGE READER

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DRAFT TACS TRAINING


INTRODUCTION (PW,75)

The major difference for badge users in PSDS offices is that theupper left button on the Operations portion of the EBR is nowreferred to as the Base operation. If a user wants to clock in onhis/her Base operation, all s/he needs to do is press the BT buttonand swipe the badge. Unless a user chooses otherwise, the baseoperation button will be active. If a user wants to clock in on adifferent operation, then it is business as usual and s/he pressesBT and the appropriate operation button.

BASE OPERATION

When badge users Move, the base operation will be lit and theemployee must choose an operation if different from base.

The other changes to the EBR concern the functionality of thesecond row of preprogrammed codes. Authorization of leave,higher level, and overtime have been assigned buttons, in additionto entry of vehicle information and transfer of employee hours.Use of these buttons is explained in the succeeding pages.NOTE: At this time the EBR will only accept 3-digit

operation numbers, and 2-digit hours codes.

[ BT ] [ LV ]

[ OL ] [ HL ] 1 2 3 Clear

[ IL ] [ OT ] 4 5 6

[ MV ] [ VEH] 7 8 9 Exit

[ ET ] [ TR ] Sel 0 Acc Enter

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STAND UP TALK FOR ALL EBR USERS (PW,76)

We are cutting over to a new timekeeping system called TACS(Time and Attendance Collection System). The Electronic BadgeReaders (EBR) have been slightly modified to work with this newsystem.

The first change you will notice is the Base Operation

button. You have been assigned to a particular operation to

which all of your hours are charged, unless you MV to a

different operation. When clocking into the base operation,

the system will allot your hours to your base operation—

which may be different than the base operations of the

persons ahead and behind you. As long as the base

operation button is depressed, each person’s hours will be

charged to his/her particular base operation. You can of

course clock in to a different operation than your base by

selecting that operation number.

Be aware that the new EBR is faster and makes a different tonewhen it accepts your badge. If it doesn’t accept the badge, itmakes a squawk. When you hear a beep, your badge wasaccepted. Don’t keep swiping your badge because you don’thear the sound you used to hear.

You also need to be aware of the lower two buttons in the secondcolumn of buttons. The Vehicle (VEH) button is used when youneed to enter vehicle information because a vehicle badge is notavailable. The Transfer (TR) button is used only when your time isbeing charged to a different Finance Number.

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Remember, you are your own best timekeeper. You can

guarantee that you are paid correctly if you use your badge

to discharge your timekeeping responsibility correctly.

LETTER CARRIER NOTE (PW,77)

The move ring is utilized to change route numbers when servingdifferent routes on the same day. The carrier utilizes the MOVE,and selects the OPR Code. The carrier can key in the 3-digit OPRor 5-digit OPR-LU code, if the LU is applicable. If the carrier isusing the numeric keypad to key in the operation number and isrequired to enter the LU, the carrier must press the SEL key, priorto entering the LU. The Route Number will be the number to whichthe carrier is moving.

The MOVE ring is also used when the carrier leaves the office to astreet operation, and when the carrier returns to the office from thestreet. It can also be used to enter route changes (moves) afterthe fact when the EBR is unavailable or malfunctioning. When it isused after the fact to enter prior data for that day, the route numbermust be entered.

Once the route number has been entered, the EBR screen willdisplay:

Move -> OPR: 721-00 RT:00014enter TIME or swipe VEH/EMP BADGE

The employee will then enter the time that the employee moved tothat route and/or operation. For example, if the employee enters1392 (hours and hundredths), the EBR screen will display:

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Move -> OPR: 721-00 RT:000014 13.92swipe VEHICLE or EMPLOYEE BADGE

USING VEHICLE BADGES

Carriers (PW,78)

When carriers record vehicle information, the vehicle badge isalways swiped first, prior to swiping the employee badge. If thevehicle badge is unavailable, the employee presses the VEH keyand enters the 9-digit vehicle ID number. If the carrier presses theVEH key, the screen prompts:

Move -> OPR- 721 Rte:00014enter VEHICLE

The carrier enters the vehicle number using the numeric keypad(i.e. 123456789).

Once the vehicle badge is swiped or the vehicle ID number isentered and the carrier is leaving for the route (OPR code 721),the screen prompts the carrier to swipe the employee badge.

Move -> OPR: 721-03 Rte:00014 VEH OUTswipe EMPLOYEE BADGE

When the vehicle badge is swiped or the vehicle ID number isentered and the carrier is returning to the office (OPR code 722),the screen prompts the carrier to enter the Odometer reading.

Move -> OPR: 721-03 Rte:00014 VEH INENTER ODOMETER:

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The carrier can enter up to six digits on the EBR for the odometerreading. Once the carrier has entered the odometer reading, thecarrier must press ENTER. If for example, the odometer readingis 321, the 321 is keyed in and the carrier presses ENTER. The

EBR will automatically insert the leading zeroes. The screen

then prompts the carrier to swipe the employee badge.

Move > OPR. 722 03 Rte:00014 VEH INswipe EMPLOYEE BADGE ODOMETER:.000321

The carrier swipes the employee badge.

USING VEHICLE BADGES

Other Employees (PW,79)

When an employee is required to record vehicle information on theEBR, the employee performs the same procedures as a carrier.For example, after entering OPR Code 760-01, the employeeswipes the vehicle badge or presses the VEH key to enter the 9-digit vehicle ID number, if the vehicle badge is unavailable.Note: The screen does not prompt the employee to swipe

the vehicle badge because it does not recognize the OPR

code as requiring a vehicle.

If the employee presses the VEH key, the screen prompts:

Move -> OPR: 760-01enter VEHICLE #:

The employee enters the 9-digit vehicle number using the numerickeypad (i.e. 123456789).

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Once the vehicle badge is swiped or the vehicle ID number isentered, the screen prompts the employee to indicate the

departure {(2) OUT} or return {(I) IN} of the vehicle. The employeewill be required to enter the odometer reading when the employeereturns {(I) IN) to the office.

Move OPR; 760 VEHPress (1) In or (2) Out with Vehicle

If departing, the employee presses (2), and the screen promptsthe employee to swipe employee badge.

Move -> OPR: 760-01 VEH OUTswipe EMPLOYEE BADGE

If returning, the employee presses (1), and the screen prompts theemployee to enter the Odometer reading.

Move -> OPR: 760-01 VEH INENTER ODOMETER:

The employee can enter up to six digits on the EBR for theodometer reading. Once the employee has entered the odometerreading, the employee must press ENTER. If, for example, theodometer reading is 321, the 321 is keyed in and the employeepresses ENTER. The EBR will automatically insert the

leading zeroes. The screen then prompts the employee to swipe

the employee badge.

Move -> OPR: 760 1 VEH INswipe EMPLOYEE BADGE Odometer 000321

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The employee swipes the employee badge.

Special note: before a badge is swiped, the employee must makesure, the correct clock ring type (function) and opr keys (ifapplicable) are lit.

AUTHORIZATION CLOCK RINGS (PW,81)

There is one password for all authorizations. Authorizations mustbe input for each day separately, not the entire week in one clockring. For example, if an employee is scheduled for 40 hours ofleave for the week, you must input the leave to be taken each day.You cannot input the 40 hours as one authorization. The systemwill reject it. When the EBR prompts you for the employee badge,you can either swipe the badge or enter the SSN of the employeeon the numeric key pad.

OT – Overtime (PW,81)

Supervisors who are authorized to input Overtime authorizationsmay do so at the EBR. The password is needed for this type ofauthorization. The following is an example of how to authorize 2hours OT beginning at 1500 on March 2l.

The first step of the authorization for overtime is pressing the OTkey. The clock ring type (transaction) keys are located on the leftside of the EBR keyboard.

When OT is selected, the EBR displays the following screen:

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OT Authswipe AUTHORIZER BAGDE

When the supervisor swipes his or her badge through the EBR,the screen prompts:

OT AuthEnter PASSWORD

When the four-digit password has been entered correctly, thescreen prompts:

OTenter EMPLOYEE # from pad or swipe BADGE

When the employee's badge has been swiped through the EBR orthe ID number is entered from the numeric keypad, the screen willdisplay the employee's social security number as follows:

OT 123-45-6789enter OT HOURS Authorized

After the number of hours of overtime (0200) are entered from thenumeric keypad in Hours and hundredths, the screen displayprompts:

OT 123-45-6789 02:00Month:

Enter the calendar month in two digits (03) from the numerickeypad, the screen display prompts:

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OT 123-45-6789 02:00 03Day:

Enter the calendar day (21) the Over-time is scheduled to begin,not necessarily the tour day. After the day is entered from thenumeric keypad, the display prompts:

OT 123-45-6789 02:00 03/21enter START TIME (HH.hh):

After start time (1500) is entered from the numeric keypad, thescreen display prompts:

OT 123-45-6789 02.00 03/21 15.00enter Acc to accept – Clear to reject

If data is correct, press the "ACC" key to process the transaction.The screen will remain locked/latched in for the next OVERTIMEtransaction. If the data is the same for subsequent employees,swipe the employee’s badge and press the "ACC" key toprocess/complete that transaction. Continue this process until allemployees have been authorized.

If data for the next employee or group of employees is different,press the "CLEAR" key, enter the new information and start again.You must press the "CLEAR" key after the last transaction hasbeen completed. If you do not enter a transaction within a shortperiod of time, the system will automatically clear the screen.

Note: Supervisors are not allowed to input overtime

authorizations for themselves.

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Overtime Authorization Input Overview: (PW,84)

1. Press the "OT' key

2. Swipe Authorizer Badge

3. Enter Password

4. Swipe Employee Badge or enter ID number

5. Enter Number of Overtime Hours Authorized (4 digits

- Hours and hundredths)

6. Enter Month (2 digits)

7. Enter Calendar Day Overtime is to Begin (2 digits)

8. Enter Time Overtime is to Start (4 digits - Hour and

Hundredths)

9. Press the "ACC" key to complete the transaction (or

CLEAR/EXIT to start over)

10. If authorizing a group of employees for the same date,

amount and start time, swipe the next employee

badge then press the "ACC" key. Continue this

process until all employees have been authorized.

11. Press the 'CLEAR" or "EXIT" key after the LAST

transaction has been completed

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Authorizing Leave (PW,85)

Supervisors are authorized to input leave authorizations via theEBR. The password is needed for this type of authorization.

The following is an example of how to input an authorization for 8hours of sick leave (code 056) beginning at 0700 on March 21:

The first step of the input for Leave is pressing the LV key, whichis located on the left side of the EBR keyboard.When LV is selected, the EBR displays the following screen:

Leaveswipe AUTHORIZER BADGE


Leaveenter PASSWORD:

When the four digit password has been entered correctly, thescreen prompts:

LVenter EMPLOYEE # from pad or swipe BADGE

When the employee's badge has been swiped through the EBR,or the ID number is entered from the numeric keypad, then thescreen will display the employee’s social security number asfollows:

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LV 123-45-6789enter LEAVE CODE from numeric key pad

When the 2-digit leave code (56) has been entered from thenumeric keypad, the screen displays:

LV 123-45-6789 [56]enter LEAVE HRS Authorized (HH.hh):

After the total number of leave hours are entered from the numerickeypad in hours and hundredths, the screen display prompts:

LV 123-45-6789 [56] 08.00Month:

After the calendar month (03) is entered from the numeric keypad,the screen display prompts:

LV 123-45-6789 [56] 08.00 03Day:

Enter the actual calendar day (21) the leave is scheduled to begin(not necessarily the tour day). After the day has been entered fromthe numeric keypad, the screen display prompts:

LV 123-45-6789 [56] 08.00 03/21enter START TIME (HH.hh):

After start time for Leave (Hours and hundredths) is entered(0700) from the numeric keypad, the screen display prompts:

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LV 123-45-6789 [56] 08.00 03/21 07.00 SACC >Accept ENTER>Reason SEL>Unsched/Sched

If the reason code for the leave entered is “00,” just pressACC(ept). If the reason code for the leave entered is other than“00,” press the ENTER button and input the 2-digit reason code.You may change the “S” (scheduled) to “U” (unscheduled) prior toACC(ept) by pressing the SEL(ect) button. NOTE: A list ofapplicable Reason Codes may be found in Appendix 3.

If data is incorrect, press the CLEAR or EXIT key and start again.

After the "ACC" key is pressed to process the transaction, thescreen will remain locked in for the next identical LEAVEtransaction. You must press "CLEAR" after the last transactionhas been completed.

Note: all leave transactions must be supported by form 3971.

No Lunch (PW,87)

When NO LUNCH is approved, the authorization can be enteredat the EBR. Follow the instructions for LEAVE and use Code 93(No Lunch Authorized).

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Leave Authorization Input Overview: (PW,88)

1. Press the "LV" key


3. Enter Password


5. Enter Leave Code

6. Enter Number of Hours Authorized (4 digits - Hours and

hundredths)

7. Enter Month (2 digits)

8. Enter Calendar Day Leave is to Begin (2 digits)

9. Enter Time Leave is to Start (4 digits - Hours and

hundredths)

10. Enter Reason Code and select Scheduled or

Unscheduled.


CLEAR/EXIT to start over)

12. Press the "CLEAR" or "EXIT" key after the LAST


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Authorizing Higher Level (PW,89)

Supervisors who are authorized to input Higher Levelauthorizations may do so at the EBR. The password is needed forthis type of authorization. In the following example, 8 hours ofhigher level are authorized for Level 15, RSC E, beginning at 1000on March 21.

Note: Higher Level authorization inputs are not required forqualified employees moving to selected operation numbers (seeautomatic higher level) provided they meet the base criteriaestablished for those operation numbers.

The first step of the input for the authorization of HL is pressing theHL button. The clock ring keys are located on the left side of theEBR keyboard.

When HL is selected, the EBR displays the following screen:

Higher Levelswipe AUTHORIZER BADGE


Higher Levelenter PASSWORD:


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HLEnter EMPLOYEE # from pad or swipe BADGE

When the employee's badge has been swiped through the EBR orthe ID number is entered from the numeric keypad, the screen willdisplay the employee's social security number as follows:

HL 123-45-6789 E-use SEL to select RSC – use ACC to accept

If E is not the Rate Schedule Code (RSC) you want, use the SELkey to scroll through the valid RSC listing. Normally, you will useonly 4 RSC codes—M=Mail Handlers, P=Clerks, Q=City LetterCarriers, and E=Executive and Administrative/Casuals. When thedesired RSC is displayed, press the ACC key. The screenprompts:

HL 123-45-6789 E-enter LEVEL from numeric keypad

After the level (15) is entered from the numeric keypad, the screendisplay prompts:

HL 123-45-6789 E-15enter HL HOURS Authorized (HH.hh):

After the hours authorized (0800) have been entered from thenumeric keypad, the screen display prompts:

HL 123-45-6789 E-15 08.00Month:

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Enter the calendar month (03) in two digits from the numerickeypad. The screen display prompts:

HL 123-45-6789 E-15 08.00 03Day:

Enter the calendar day (21) the higher level is scheduled to begin,not necessarily the tour day. After the day is entered from thenumeric keypad, the display prompts:

HL 123-45-6789 E-15 08.00 03/213-27enter START TIME (HH.hh):

Enter the time the higher Level is to BEGIN (Hours andhundredths). After the start time (1000) has been entered from thenumeric keypad, the screen display will prompt:

HL 123-45-6789 E-15 08.00 03/21 10.00enter ACC to accept – Clear to reject

If data is correct, press the "ACC" key to process the transaction.The screen will remain locked in for the next identical HIGHERLEVEL transaction. You must press "CLEAR" after the lasttransaction has been completed.

If data is incorrect, press the CLEAR key and start again.

Note: All higher level must be supported by an approvedassignment order (1723).

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Higher Level Authorization Input Overview: (PW,92)

1. Press the "HL' key


3. Enter Password


5. Press the "SEL" key to select the RSC (Rate

Schedule Code)

6. Press the "ACC" key to accept the RSC selected

7. Enter the Level (2 digits)

8. Enter Number of Higher Level Hours Authorized (4

digits Hour and hundredths)

9. Enter Month (two digits)

10. Enter Calendar Day I-Higher Level is to Begin (2

digits)

11. Enter Time Higher Level is to Start (4 digits Hours and

hundredths)


CLEAR/EXIT) to start over)

14. Press the "CLEAR" or "EXIT" key after the LAST


Note: In the event more hours are worked at the higher level thanwere originally authorized, a second HL authorization must bemade for the additional hours, or change the original authorizationin the clock ring editor.

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AUTOMATIC HIGHER LEVEL (PW,93)

TACS will automatically credit higher level hours for specificcategories of working certain positions, once the employeeselects the operation number. The employee must have theproper LDC and D/A code in the Employee Master File for thesystem to generate the higher level. For example, a mailprocessor, level 4 with an LDC 11 and a D/A 41-0, who isassigned to manual cases and instructed to move to operation030 is paid level 5 for the amount of time the employee is in thatoperation. The higher level will automatically end whenever theemployee moves to an operation number for which higher level isnot payable, or punches OL or ET.

Automatic Higher Levels are generated for the following positions:

1. OCR Operator (Mail Processor) to Manual

Employee's Base Criteria:

Level = P-04

LDC = 11

D/A = 11-0, 31-0, or 4l-0

Automatic higher level as P-05 for hours in

0peration Numbers: 030-079, 100-104,

111-130, 150-179

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2. Mailhandler to "Mark," Tow (Mule) or Forklift Operator


Level = M-04

LDC = 17

D/A = 12-0, 32-0, 42-0

Automatic higher level as M-05 for hours in

0peration Numbers: Oll-016, 225, 229

3. CFS Clerks to Mail Processing


Level = P-04

LDC = 49

D/A = 11-0, 31-0, or 4l-0


Operation Numbers: 030-038, 040-044

SPECIAL NOTE: DO NOT assign Operation Numbers 011

through 016 to Mailhandlers (Level M-04) "Base".

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Automatic Higher Level - Bulk Mail Centers (PW,95)

1. Clerk to Trainer - On the Job, Clerk Keying


Level =P-04 or P-05

LDC = 12, 13, 14, 15

D/A =11-0, 31-0, 41-0, 81-0


Operation Number 197 or 198

2. Mail Flow Controller - Intermittent


Level =P-05 or P-06, M-04 or M-05

LDC = 12, 13, 14

D/A=11-0, 31-0, 41-0, 81-0, 12-0, 32-0, 42-0

Automatic higher level as E-14 for hours in

Operation Number 119.

3. Dock Clerk


Level = P-05

LDC = 12, 13, 14

D/A = 11-0, 31-0, 41-0


Operation Number 540-549.

4. Bulk Mail Technician

Employee's Base Criteria

Level = P-05

LDC = 12, 13, 14, 17,18

D/A = 11-0, 3 1-0, 41-0, 81 -0


Operation Numbers 563, 569.

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5 Mailhandler to Sack Sorter


Level =M-04

LDC =13, 14

D/A =12-0,32-0,42-0


Operation Number 140-143.

6. Mailhandler to Tow (Mule) or Fork Lift Operator


Level =M-04

LDC = 12, 13, 14, 17

D/A =12-0,32-0,42-0


Operation Numbers 220-229.

7. Mailhandler to Trainer - On The Job Keying


Level =M-04

LDC = 12, 13, 14, 15

D/A =12-0,32-0,42-0


Operation Number 197 and 198.

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Authorizing Missing Clock Rings (PW,97)

When an employee is missing a basic Clock Ring(s), theemployee is in an error status and will be listed on the Clock

Ring Error Report. If the supervisor inputs the missing ring, a

Form 1260 or 1261 is not required. However, if the timekeeper isinputting the clock rings, a Form 1260 or 1261 must be submittedto the timekeeper for the missing ring as documentation andauthorization. Not all "missing ring" conditions cause an errorreport. For example, a carrier moves to another route while on thestreet. Such rings should be input at the EBR as soon as the datais available to the supervisor.

A supervisor can enter the missing clock ring(s) at the EBR or addthe missing ring to the employee's record (from the 1260 or 1261)using the "Add' option on the Transaction Editor.

The Missing Ring Mode allows supervisors to enter missing clockrings at the EBR. The following is an example of how to input amissing Begin Tour for an employee on March 22 at 0850 inOperation 130.

The first step for entering the missing clock ring at the EBR is topress the 'Clear" key to clear- the screen When the supervisorswipes his or her Authorizer badge through the EBR, the screenprompts:

----- USPS Tue Mar 2001enter PASSWORD


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Add Missing Ring (3) Volume DataDelete Bad Ring Select

When (1) Add Missing Ring is selected the screen prompts:

Add Missing Ring For 00/00 0000Month --

When the two code digit for the Month (03) has been enteredcorrectly, the screen prompts:

Add Missing Ring For 03/00 0000Day:

Enter the calendar day (22) that the missing clock rings is for.Remember, midnight (0000) starts the new calendar day. Afterthe day has been entered, the screen prompts:

Add Missing Ring For 03/22 0000Hour:

Enter the actual time in hours and hundredths (0850) for themissing clock ring from the numeric keypad. After the time for themissing clock ring has been entered, the screen prompts:

Add Missing Ring For 03/22 0850enter FUNCTION

Press the appropriate Function key for the missing clock ring.Remember to enter the Operation number when selecting "BT",'EL" and "MV" functions. Operation numbers are not used when

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selecting "OL" and "ET" functions. After the function has beenselected (BT), the screen prompts:

Begin Tour Oper:000-LUenter OPR or SEL LU or swipe BADGE:

After the operation number (130) has been entered, the screenprompts:

Begin Tour Oper:130enter Local Unit or swipe BADGE

Swipe the employee's badge to complete the transaction. Thescreen will remain locked in for the next MISSING CLOCK RINGtransaction. You must press "CLEAR" after the last transactionhas been completed.

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Missing Clock Ring Authorization Input Overview: (PW,100)

1. Press the "CLEAR" key, then Swipe Authorizer

Badge

2. Enter Password

3. Select (1) Missing Clock Ring

4. Enter Month (2 digits) of Missing Clock Ring

5. Enter Day for the Missing Clock Ring (2 digits)

6. Enter Time for the Missing Clock Ring (4 digits - Hour

and hundredths)

7. Press the appropriate Function Key for the Missing

Clock Ring (BT, OL, EL, W or ET)

8. Enter the appropriate Operation Number if Missing

Clock Ring is for a BT, IL or NW


10. Press the "CLEAR" key after the LAST transaction

has been completed

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Deletion of Erroneous Clock Rings (PW,101)

When an employee has erroneous clock ring(s), the employee willbe listed on the Clock Ring Error Report. If the supervisor deletesthe ring(s), no documentation is required. However, if atimekeeper deletes the clock ring(s), documentation is required toauthorize the timekeeper to do so. Not all erroneous rings causean error report. For example, a clerk clocked on a carrier’soperation in error will not show up as an error. When erroneousring(s) are discovered, they should be deleted and the correctring(s) entered.

The Delete Bad Ring Mode allows supervisors to delete the ringsat the EBR. It is the same as the Missing Clock Ring Modeexcept, after entering the password, select (2) Delete Bad ringwhen prompted. The following is an example of how to delete abad begin tour ring for an employee on March 22 at 0850 inOperation 130.

Note: To delete a ring, all of the information, including the

date, month, hour, function, and operation number must be

entered exactly as listed on the error report.

The first step for deleting bad ring(s) at the EBR is to press the"Clear" key to clear the screen. When the supervisor swipes hisor her Authorizer badge through the EBR, the screen prompts:

-------- USPS ETC Tue Mar 22,2001enter PASSWORD.

When the four-digit password has been entered correctly, thescreen prompts:

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Add Missing RingDelete Bad Ring Select

When (2) Delete Bad Ring is selected, the screen prompts:

Delete Bad Ring For 00/00 0000Month --

When the two digit code for the Month (03) has been enteredcorrectly, the screen prompts:

Delete Bad Ring For 03/00 0000Day:

Enter the calendar day (22) of the bad clock ring. (Remember,midnight 0000} starts the new calendar day). After the day hasbeen entered, the screen prompts:

Delete Bad Ring For 03/22 0000Hour:

Enter the actual time in Hours and hundredths (0850) for the badclock ring from the numeric keypad. After the time for the badclock ring has been entered, the screen prompts:

Delete Bad Ring For 03/22 0850enter FUNCTION

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Press the appropriate Function key for the bad clock ring.Remember to enter the operation number when selecting "BT","OL" and "MV" functions. Operation numbers are not used when

selecting "OL" and "ET" functions. After the function has beenselected (BT), the screen prompts:

Begin Tour Oper:000-LUenter OPR or SEL LU or swipe BADGE:

The EBR will only accept a 5-digit number. DO NOT enter thetrailing zero for the operation number. Instead of entering 1300-00, enter 130-00. After the operation number (130) has beenentered, the screen prompts:

Begin Tour Oper:130enter Local Unit or swipe BADGE

Swipe the employee's badge to complete the transaction. Thescreen will return to the menu screen to select your next entry. Youmust press "CLEAR" after the last transaction has beencompleted.

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Delete Bad Clock Ring Authorization Input Overview:

(PW,104)

1. Press the "CLEAR" key, then Swipe Authorizer

Badge

2. Enter Password

3. Select (2) Delete Bad Clock Ring

4. Enter Month (2 digits) of Bad Clock Ring

5. Enter Day for the Bad Clock Ring (2 digits)

6. Enter Time for the Bad Clock Ring (4 digits - Hour and

hundredths)

7. Press the appropriate Function Key for the Bad Clock

Ring (BT, OL, IL, MV or ET)

8. Enter the appropriate Operation Number if Bad Clock

Ring is for a BT, IL, or MV


Press the "CLEAR" key after the LAST transaction

has been completed

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Restarting the EBR with an Authorizer Badge (PW,105)

1. Swipe the Authorizer badge.

2. Press the (SEL) key until the correct calendar day of the

week appears. Then press the (ACC) key.

3. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for the month.

4. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for the day.

5. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for the year.

6. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for the hour.

7. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for the minute.*

8. Enter the 2-digit numeric code for seconds.

9. If all parameters are correct, press the (ACC) key to

accept the setting. If the setting is incorrect, press the

(Clear) key to reject.

Setting Clock Fri 11/27/00 10:05:00Enter ACC to Accept CLEAR to Reject

*Minutes are used for manual resetting. The clock will

automatically convert to hundredths upon pressing the

(ACC) key.

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APPENDICES

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Appendix 1 (PW,109)

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

SHOW KEYS

Function Keys Function Keys

BUTTON SHORTCUTS

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Appendix 2 (PW,110)

TACS Reports

Active Operations Reports (TAC140R0)

• Active Operations Report is a listing of operations and local

units that have been ”turned on” or made valid for a particularfinance number.

• National Authorized Operations Report provides a listing

of nationally authorized operations, and CAG office and LDCCodes for which they are authorized.

• Operation Errors provides a list of employees who are

assigned to base operations that have been deactivated. Thisreport should be run in the TACS Control Site when changes tooperation numbers are announced.

Badge Reports (TAC050R0)

Badge Reports Module allows you to create and run 3 reports: forBadge Assignment, Unassigned Badges, and Badge TypeListing.

Clock Ring Reports (TAC800R0)

• Clock Ring Errors Report will display errors on a clock ring

or set of clock rings that can not be posted for an employee.The report will also show employees who do not have timeposted for a scheduled day or who do not crossfoot any day.

• Missing Time Report will show employees who do not have

time posted for a scheduled day or who do not crossfoot onany day.

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• Overtime Alert Report lists employees in an overtime status

for the week or who are approaching overtime for the week.• Overtime and Leave Report will list employees who have

both overtime and leave on the same day.• Raw Ring Errors Report shows raw ring errors.

• Ring Disallowance Report lists employee clock-generated

badge swipes that have been changed by a supervisor ortimekeeper so that time is, in effect, "disallowed.”

• Self-Adjustment Report lists all the users who made any type

of change to their own clock rings.• Tour Deviations Report is designed to allow the user the

ability to select employees who deviate from their assignedschedule and/or lunch amounts.

• Unauthorized Overtime Report lists employees with

overtime worked which exceeds the amount of overtimeauthorized.

Employee Reports (TAC500R0)

• Authorized Higher Level Report lists employees who have

been authorized Higher Level.• Automatic Higher Level Report lists employees who have

worked an operation that entitles them to automatic higherlevel.

• Employee Everything Report lists almost every thing in the

TACS database for a particular employee for a particular year,pay period and week.

• Employee File Comparison Report lists TACS employees

found with differences between what is in the master file inMinneapolis and TACS.

• Employee Listing Report lists the employees within the

office.

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• Employee Moves Report displays the operations an

employee has worked during the week.• Employees on the Clock Report will display all employees

currently on the clock.• Higher Level Details Report will generate a report listing

those employees on long term higher level details.• LTD Duty/REHAB Report displays for each person on

limited duty or rehabilitation, total hours to date for eachoperation. These are persons on Operation 959, or for whomthe base Labor Distribution Code is 6900.

• Carrier Moves Report displays moves for letter carriers only.

Finance Reports (TAC100R0)

• Hours and Dollars Report displays the hours worked and an

approximation of the cost, in dollars, for the selected criteria:pay location, finance unit finance number, weekly or range ofweeks.

• LDC/Operation Summary Report

-- The Operation Summary Report totals work hours,

overtime hours and sick leave hours by Operation orOperation/Local Unit code. These reports are based onoperation hours attributed to the finance number you haveselected.

-- The LDC Summary Report totals work hours, overtime

hours and sick leave hours by LDC, LDC/Operation, orLDC/Operation/Local Unit code.

• Station Summary Report lists work, overtime and sick leave

hours by LDC for carrier stations.• Finance Description Report will display information on

finance number(s) selected, including ROG codes, CAG andoffice type.

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• Flash Reference Report provides line item data totaling

hours by LDC within function.• Finance Unit Descriptions Report provides descriptions of

finance units and pay locations.• Non-Mail Handler Casual Report provides, for the Mail

Handler’s Union, a report of non-mail handler employees whoworked in specified mail handler operations.

LTATS Reports (TAC860R0)

• LTATS - Loaned Employee Report displays those

employees ‘loaned to’ another office. It displays work hours,overtime, and Penalty Overtime.

• LTATS - Missing CAG A to G Report displays missing

LTATS (1236s) for small offices on timecards.

• LTATS - Summary Report displays work and overtime hours

that have been transferred to a different LDC/DA or loaned toanother office.

Miscellaneous Site Report (TAC160R0) provides site

descriptions and Finance and IS contacts for that site.

PPWk Reports (TAC840R0)

• Non-Crossfoot Errors Report lists employees who do not

crossfoot for the week. This report is designed to be a tool atthe end of the week, and it is recommended that it not be useduntil you are ready to release T&A data.

• Pay Week Status Report provides information regarding

time transmitted to Minneapolis.• Weekly Form 1261 Report provides employee clock rings in

1261 format.

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• Weekly Total Hours Report provides the total amount of

hours of each hours code and reason type recorded for theweek.

• Pay Period Report provides the status of aggregate pay

period clock ring data.• Pay Week Status Detail Report provides pay period status

for individual employees: on hold, ready to upload, or closed.

Schedule Reports (TAC120R0)

• Guarantee Waivers/No Lunch Report will display

authorizations for Guaranteed Time Waivers (TransactionCode 092), and No Lunch (Transaction Code 093).

• Hours Analysis Report displays work, overtime, sick leave

and annual leave hours for each employee.• Hours Type Inquiry Report lists employees with a specific

hours type and/or the hours reason codes.• Master Schedule Report identifies 23 predefined schedules.

• REHAB/PTR Holidays Report is designed to list REHAB

(LDC 6900) and Part Time Regular employees (designation3XX) who may be entitled to holiday leave but due to their workschedules the system does not automatically generate theholiday leave. This report is only available during weeks thatcontain a holiday.

• Daily Hours Report lists employees in performance cluster,

finance number, sub-unit and employee order. The first line foreach employee is the indicative data (Employee Id, Name,RSC, LDC, etc.). The next line will be the hours the employeehas worked in his/her base job. Subsequent lines will reflectany hours worked in higher level positions.

• Schedule Report lists employees that are in a selected

schedule.

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Timecard Entry Report (TAC820R0)

Time Certification Report consists of "FRONT of TIMECARD"data. The employees are listed in: Performance cluster, Financenumber, Sub-unit, and Employee order.

User Reports (TAC010R0)

• The User Access Report shows users who have access to

the system.• The User Log Report shows users who have logged on and

off of TACS.

Valid Codes Report (TAC940R0)

Valid Codes Report provides a listing of valid national codes.

ARCHIVE REPORTS

The following 9 reports will be able to retrieve archive data inTACS. Data that is archived is available for three years beforebeing dropped.Employee Reports• Employee Everything Report• Employee Listing Report• Employee Moves ReportFinance Reports• LDC/Operation Summary Report• Station SummarySchedule Reports• Hours Analysis Report• Daily Hours Report

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Clock Ring Reports• Ring Disallowance ReportTimecard Entry Reports• Time Certification Report

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Appendix 3 (PW,117)

Hours Codes/Reason Codes

* Indicates system-generated rings, not input in the Clock RingEditor or EBR.

HOURS CODES (sometimes referred to as the payroll code)

010 - Begin Tour011 - Move012 - Out to Lunch013 - In from Lunch014 - End Tour024 - AWOL*030 - Full LWOP Hours (Generated at mainframe)*031 - Partial LWOP Hours (Generated at mainframe)032 - Telephone time*033 - Guarantee Telephone time034 - Beeper Time*035 - Extra straight time*036 - Guarantee telephone overtime*043 - Penalty Overtime Payment (POP)044 - Military LWOP046 - Donated Leave - Personal*047 - Rural Free Saturday048 - Holiday Schedule Premium049 - OWCP LWOP Hours*050 - Rural Carrier Trips*051 - Rural carrier actual hours*052 - Work Hours*053 - Overtime Hours054 - Night Work premium hours

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055 - Annual Leave056 - Sick Leave*057 - Holiday work058 - Holiday Leave059 - Part Day LWOP060 - Full Day LWOP061 - Court Leave*062 - Guarantee time*063 - TE cross-foot (also for code 035)065 - Meeting time066 - Convention leave067 - Military leave*068 - Guarantee overtime069 - Blood donor leave070 - Stewards duty time071 - Continuation of pay leave072 - Sunday Premium073 - Out of schedule premium074 - Christmas work*076 - Non-scheduled cross-foot077 - Civil defense leave078 - Act of nature leave079 - Veterans funeral leave080 - Relocation leave081 - Civil disorder leave082 - Travel within schedule083 - Travel outside schedule084 - Union official leave085 - Voting leave086 - Other paid leave088 - Non-bargain reschedule premium089 - Postmaster Org. leave090 - Higher level authorization

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091 - Overtime authorization092 - Disallow guarantee time093 – No lunch punch

REASON CODES

The following are payroll codes with corresponding reason codes:024 00 AWOL024 09 AWOL - Late049 00 OWCP - Regular049 99 IOD/OWCP - Family Medical Leave055 00 Annual leave - Regular055 01 Annual leave – In lieu of sick055 09 Annual leave – Late055 10 Annual leave – Emergency055 99 Annual leave - Family Medical Leave056 00 Sick leave – Regular056 09 Sick leave - Late056 11 Sick leave - Restricted056 97 Sick leave - Dependent care056 98 Sick leave - FMLA Dependent care056 99 Sick leave - Family Medical Leave059 00 Part Day LWOP059 01 Part Day LWOP - in lieu of sick leave059 02 Part Day LWOP - Proffered059 03 Part Day LWOP - Personal059 04 Part Day LWOP - Other059 05 Part Day LWOP - Maternity059 06 Part Day LWOP - Suspension059 07 Part Day LWOP - Union Official059 08 Part Day LWOP – Suspending term059 09 Part Day LWOP - Late

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059 59 Part Day LWOP – System-generated059 99 Part Day LWOP - Family Medical leave060 00 Full day LWOP060 01 Full day LWOP - in lieu of sick leave060 02 Full day LWOP - Proffered060 03 Full day LWOP - Personal060 04 Full day LWOP - Other060 05 Full day LWOP - Maternity060 06 Full day LWOP - Suspension060 07 Full day LWOP - Union official060 08 Full day LWOP - Suspending term060 09 Full day LWOP - Late060 99 Full day LWOP - Family Medical Leave071 00 COP - Regular071 99 COP - Family Medical Leave091 00 Overtime Authorization091 01 OT Auth - Before Scheduled Tour091 02 OT Auth - After Scheduled Tour091 03 OT Auth - Full Tour091 04 OT Auth - Before Scheduled Tour – Out of Schedule091 05 OT Auth - After Scheduled Tour – Out of Schedule091 06 OT Auth - Full Tour – Out of Schedule

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Appendix 4 (PW,121)

EXTERNAL TRANSFER – DSIS

Background….

The TACS system is an Oracle based system. The Employee filethat is resident on the database is not in the correct format forDSIS Host Utilities. In order to make it compatible a conversionprogram must be executed after the employee file and ring file isextracted from TACS. This conversion program, along with aBatch job called DSIS.BAT, will be installed on severalworkstations (local drive) in the Data Site. By so doing, several ofthe data techs will have the capability to extract the rings and theemployee file from TACS and load these files into the DSIS HostUtilities PC.

Installing….

The DSIS.bat file must be edited to change the 3-digit databasenumber to reflect the database being used. You will receive thisfile and Empcvnt.exe from Minneapolis with instructions.On the root of C create a folder called DSIS (or from a DOSprompt (C:\) type MD DSIS <ENTER>).Copy the EMPCVNT.EXE file into this folder/directory.Copy the DSIS.bat file to the root directory (C).

Instructions for Transferring to DSIS….

• Choose Externals; External Transfers from the drop downmenu on the Home Page. The first Tab will be DSIS.

• All Unsent Rings will be highlighted; leave as is.• Click on Single Finance Number and either key in the finance

number needed or press <F9> for a list and select the financenumber.

• Click on the ‘RUN DSIS’ button. TACS will retrieve the ringsand the employee file.

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• A window appears with the heading ‘Save As…’. The filename will be DSISRAW_XXX_DAT.exe (where XXX is thedatabase number)

• Choose the DSIS folder on the ‘C’ drive and click on Save.Note: After the first time these procedures are followed thesystem will ask if you want to over-write the existing files – clickon Yes.

• Another file appears EMPLOYEE.XXX_TXT.exe. Click Saveagain.

• Click on Start on the bottom left of the screen. Then click onRUN.

• Insert a diskette in Drive A.• Type C:\DSIS and click OK or press <Enter>. The 2 files will

be copied to the diskette. Load the files from the diskette intoSIS host utilities.

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